Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-03-01
THE SOUTH POLE.
London 10 On the Lookout for News
Of Its Discovery.

London 10 On the Lookout for New,
Of Its Discovery.
South Pole discovered"
Any day now, says a London letter
that message may be flashed over tn,
cables and telegraph wires that encir.
Gle the globe. The sender may be al
Englishman, a Norwegian, an Austria.
liam or Japanese. Five expeditions
carrying the standards Of as man,
different countries, have been battlins
against the cold and Ice Of the Antarc.
tic for more than two years, and the
first Of them Is expected to return tr
touch with the outside world" about
this time.
Stewards Island, south Of New Zea.
land, Is the first habitation that will
be reached by the explorers on theil
return trip. A telephone connects the
island with New Zealand, from there
the cablegrams will be sent out.
In this five-cornered competition fol
the sake Of science, and incidental
fame the most celebrated contestants
are Capt. Robert Fulton Scott of Eng
land. and Capt. Ronald Amundsen OF
Norway. The Australian. Mawson, is
leading a third band. and the Japanese
and German expeditions complete the
entry list in the unprecedented race
Never before have so many expedi-
tions been in either polar region a,
one time.
Competition is called the life ol
trade" said Sir Ernest Shackleton to-
day, "and I believe that the spirit OF
the contest must have exercised such
an influence over the. rival expeditions
as to spur at least one Of them to
achieve the goal" Sir Shackleton ID
the English Antarctic explorer, who
In 1909. attained the "farthest south.
getting to latitude S8 degrees % min
utes south, or within 10 miles Of the
pole.
My national pride makes me hope
that Scott will beat out Amundsen.'
he said. "and have such confidence In
him that I believe he has reached the
pole whether Amundsen has or not.
know 80 little about the German, Aus
tralian and Japanese expeditions that
l cannot justly speculate on their sue
cess. but do not believe personally
that any of them has done as we'll as
either Scott or Amundsen."
Captain Scott left England on June
10. 1910. waving goodbye to his wife
and baby at Cardiff. Wales. He bade
farewell to civilization at Christ
Church, New Zealand. on November
20, and since then nothing has been
heard from him. His ship. the whaler,
Terra Nova, has returned to New Zea-
land, and Is awaiting the telephoned
command to go to Stewards Island
and get her master and pilot, as well
as his brave companions.
The Scott expedition Is the best
equipped that ever entered the South
Polar regions. Fitted out by a gov
ernment appropriation Of 100000 add
ed to by popular subscription Of the
same amount, everything that could
possibly be OF use was purchased. Over
hundred Of the best Siberian sledge
dogs, as well as three motor-sledges
form part Of the equipment, and In
the party are several Of the foremost
scientists, geographers and astronom-
ers in Britain.
According to the plans Of Captain
Scott, outlined before the departure or
his polar quest, he would establish
two bases on the Antarctic ice bar
rier, one at Mac Mudo bay, the Other
at King Edwards Land, or some 45(
miles apart, to be. II possible, connect
ed by wireless 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 explored. 1t Is known that
the Mac Mudo bay post was securely
established by Captain Scott, the news
ndNlHS Dccu DIOu6ht bdSh W 4NS" NNo
land by his ship, the Terra Nova.
How much more has been accom-
plished by the Englishman and his
party, Is largely a matter for conjec-
ture. From the Mac Mudo bay base
over the $50 miles to the pole. the reaI
work Of the expedition had to be done
The explorer declared he expected to
take from 12O to $50 days to make the
Journey to and from the base.
Sentiment plays part in the plans
of Captain Scott, who said before
leaving that he would have white men
with him at the pole. He commented
on the fact that Commander Peary had
single negro with him when he
reached the North Pole. Scott declar-
ed that he would have sixteen men
with him on his final dash, including
the scientists Of the party.
So we'll provisioned Is the Scott ex-
pedition that it would not be necessary
for him to abandon the attempt In the
event that his first dash did not meet
with success. He could return to the
base Of supplies. rest during the off
season" and return to the task re-
freshed during the next six months.
I'm fact we shall jolly we'll stop
there till the thing Is DONE" said Cap
tain Scott just before he cut loose
from civilization.
Captain Scott is veteran explorer,
having attained great success on his
memorable invasion Of the Antartic IN
10000. when he reached the then
"farthest SOUTH" getting to latitude
16 minutes 80 seconds south, or with
In $40 miles of the pole. Shackleton's
expedition Of 1909 was the only one
that has surpassed this.
The Norwegian, Captain Amundsen,
Is experiencing his first visit to the
Antarctic. His previous fame was
achieved on the other end Of the world
the north. One Of his greatest ac-
complishments was the negotiation OF
the great Northwest Passage. Cap
tain Amundsen's ship. the Fran, Is
also at New Zealand, standing hard
i 1Nz z,@I