The Washington times., 1913-02-12
CAPTAIN SCOTT MAY
HAVE BEEN VICTIM
OF RETURN PARTIES
Antarctic Explorer May Have
Died Because They Tapped
His Food Caches.

LONDON. Feb. Traditional details
OF the Antarctic tragedy in which Cap
tain Scott, second among mortals to
reach the South Pole, and his three
companions lost their lives today filled
Britishers with awe-inspired wonder.
They wonder If Captain Scott and his
men did not perish. indirectly because
of one of the return parties that Cap
tain Scott sent back. The last return
party consisted of six men.
1t Is suggested that Its members
night have tapped the food and fuel
caches Of Captain Scott, and the awful
thought in the minds of the London
public was that perhaps the very men
who were Drawing the hardships and m
describable tortures of a. South Polar
blizzard 10 aid Captain Scott and his
three comrades, did not inadvertently
hasten his death.
Further light on the catastrophe was
thrown today in additional wireless dis
patches from Commander G. r. Evans,
r. N, now in command of the Scott
expedition, by reason of the deaths of
his superiors. Commander Evans is
aboard the relief ship Terra Nova with
the other survivors of the Scott eXpedi-
ton, bound for Port Lyttleton, from
Oamarau, and his information reached
London By cable from Wellington, New
Zealand.
A gigantic memorial service for Cap
tain Scott and his comrades similar in
detail to that held for the British VIC
tins of the great Titanic disaster, will
be held Friday in st. Paurs Cathedral.
The Archbishop of Canterbury and
other dignitadies of the Church of
England will officiate, and the King
ry1I ,her % rars lf,,a~
ministers and high government officials
VIII participate.
Sent Back Members.
The further information from Com
mander Evans told how Captain Scott
on his final dash for the bottom of
the world sent back members of his
party, at intervals. Some of these sur
yivors, especially one party of six,
encountered great difficulties and mar
rowly made Terra Nova bay alive
1t was the suggestion that these re-
turn parties might have used the blub-
Der fuel in Captain Scott's supply de-
pots that caused London to wonder il
Captain Scotts generosity and thought
fulness for his comrades, finally brought
about his own death. Commander Evans
also put out the suggestion thkt il was
possible that the blubber fuel cached
Though there is still deficit of $50. CAal
in the original cost of the Scott exped II
ton, the lord mayor of London today
said that he would take charge of i
public subscription.
Start Subscriptions.
Two newspapers already have STAR
ed SUBSCRIPTION lists. one with $1,000
and the other with 8. go -z1szSS--.s -
The British government undoubteoir.
VIII set aside a treasury grant 10
those dependeat on the dead explorer
u was said, and Mrs. Scott will re-
ceive sl,O0 year from the admiralty
The widow of Petty Officer Evans also
VIII receive an admiralty annuity, il
oeing the intention of the admiraity "a
consider that both the naval officers
died in action
A plan is already under discussion for
an expedition to bring back the bodies
of Captain Scott and mis- four com
panions. Ii is said that such a trip
VIII be financed by private subscrfp- |
tion II the government does not un- |
oertake the task. Experts say that an
expedition of this kind could go and
return in one year at a cost of 5000 |