The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-03-08

LONDON. March THE Daily
Chronicle. this morning. prints the
following despatch, dated chris
uania:
THE following telegram has been
received from Hobart Tasmania
Pole attained fourteenth seventeenth
December. nineteen eleven. All Wen
Signed. Roald Amundsn.
"Details OF Captain Amundsen feat
and the difficulty he had 10 surmouh.
are not yet to hand.
The ca blegram, which announces
his triumph. which Is reproduced in
faci smile by Chronicle, the Chronicle
announces, was sent to them by the
explorer.s brother Leon Amundsen.
from Chrtstiania. They also an
nounce that Captain Amnndsen's own
story will be in hand tomorrow.
Sir Ernest Shackleton, in later
edition of the Daily Chronicle, writes
the following on Amundsens as
covery:
Analysing the somewhat orie'
cable to hand announcing Amund-
.en.s attainment Of the South Pole,
one from previous experience would
assume that the journey was done
with extreme rapidity. and under very
favorable conditions as regards
weather.
Record Breaking Travel.
"Amundsen has attained the geo
graphical South Pole. the long sought
for spot and finish OF record break
ing as far the ends of the earth are
concerned. Assuming that the latl-
tude Of Amundsen's winter quarters
were in 1914 s. that Is only SIS geo
graphical miles from the South Pole.
wffales. by nle, or, my expedition,
and was formerly known as Balloon
Blight
"If Amundsen did fifteen miles
Aay. and reached the South Pole on
December II. he would have started
South about the beginning OF Novem-
her. but it il much more likely that
he did not travel at that rate. es-
pecialiy for the first hundred or two
odd miles, SO We may assume that
he started for the pole about the be-
rfrnfng or October :.
There 10 no indication In the cable
whether Amundsen followed the route
Of my expedition In reaching the
mountains that guard the approach
70 the pole. 1t may be possible that
he found a new route. an easier one.
up to the plateau which lies at about
5000 to 1900 feet above the sea
level.
aHe may have had good weather
ana the words OF the cablegram pole
attained December II to H. evidently
means that on reaching the geogra-
phicai pole. 30 that no uncertainty
should exist AZ to his exact position.
he waited three days taking the noon
observation 30 al accurately to de-
termine his position.
Takes Thrive Observations.
The advantage OF taking three days
continuous observations at the pole
are az follows:
Assuming that the explorer took
= noon observation OF the altitude of
the sun. and found that he was at the
pole. q degree OF uncertainty would
exist because Of the slow movement
or the sun. which completes circle
with hardly any perceptible rise Of
fall. II the observation IL taken for
the second day at the same spot and
the difference OF the declinatt0n Of
The sun In its North or South path
corresponds with his observations Of
the day before. and It does this for
the third day he may safely aasumc
that his position II accurate. A n.y.
ing snapshot 10 not ~ reliable 40 >
continuous series Of observations. II
no were using theodolite, nndoubt-
edly the most accurate instrument.
there u no doubt that he could ascer-
tain the position Of the pole to one
mile.
her ~, ~ would very likely with =
III NinA behind him. return to- his
II nllnHA6 "a 1Aira 49,,