El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-02-20
Englishman, Jap, Norwegian,
German and Australian In
the Hunt-Have all Been
Away About Two Years.

r ONDON Eng Feb. South
Pole discovered"
- Any day now that message may
be flashed over the cables and tele
graph wires that encircle the globe
The sender may be an Englishman,
Norwegian, an Australian, a German
or a japanese. Five expeditions, car
rying the standards Of as many dtf-
ferent countries, have been battling
against the cold and ice Of the Antarc-
tic for more than two years, and the
first Of them as expected to return in
touch with the outside world" about
this time.
Stewards island. south of New Yea
land, is the first hsbitatiOn that will
be reached by the explorers on their
return trips. A Telephone connects the
island with New Zealand, from Where
cablegrams Will be sent out.
In this great five cornered cOmpeti-
ton for the sake Of science and IN
cidentally fame, the most celebrated
contestants are Capt. Robert Falcon
Scott Of England, and Capt ROAD
Amundsen,' of Norway The Australian
MawsOn, IS leading q third band ana
the Japanese and German expeditions
complete the entry list in the unpre-
cedented race. Never before have so
region at one time.
Competition is called the life Of
trade" said Sir Ernest Shackleton to-
day, and I believe that the spirit OF
contest must have exercised such an
influence over the rival expeditions as
TO spur at least one Of them to 5chiev-
ing the goal" Sir Shackletoa is the
English Antarctic explorer VINO, IN
getting to latitude IS degrees - min
utes south, or within 10 miles Of the
pole.
Ny national pride makes me hope
that Scott will beat out Auundsen-
he said, and I have such confidence
in him that I believe ne has reached
the pole whether Amuudsen has or
not. I know so little about the Ger
man, Australian and japanese expedi-
lions that l cannot justly speculate
on their success, but L do not believe
personally that any Of them has done
as well as either Scott or Amundsen.'
Left England June, 1910
Capt Scott left England on June g,
1910, waving good bye Jc his wife and
baby at Cardiff Wales. He bade fare
well TO civilization at Chrlstcnurcl,
New leland, on November %, and since
then nothing has been heard from him.
His ship, the whaler Terra Nova" has
returned to New Zealand and is await
ing the IelephOned command 40 90 10
Stewards island and get her master
and pilot, as well as his brave com
panions
The Scott expedition is the best
equipped that ever entered the south
polar regions. Fitted out by a gov
government appropriation OF S100, 900
added TO a popular subsection Of the
same amount everything thae could
possibly be of use was purchased. over
q hundred of the best Siberian sledEe
dogs, as well as three motor sledges,
form part of the equipment, ana in
the party are several Of the foremost
scientists, geographers and astrOnO-
mers in Britain.
According to the plans of Capt
Scott, outlined before he departed on
his polar quest, he would establish
two bases on the Antarctic ice barrier,
one ct AfacMurdo bay, the two at King
Edwards land, or some 45O miles apart,
TO be, If possible connected by wire
less telegraphy- Each of these bases
would be about $50 statute miles from
the south pole, and by means OF them
both ends of the barrier would be eX-
ploFed. It is known that the Mac
Murdo bay post was securely estab-
lished by Capt Scott the news having