Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-03
Attempts Made to Reach South Pole.


Since the first discoveries We're
made in the Antarctic regions in 1772-
) by Captain james Cook of the Brit
| ish Navy. nine nations have made mo-
table attempts to reach the pole, or 10
increase the knowledge and discoV-
cries there, Of which far less WAS
known than of the Arctic, and this RI
vaiy OF nearly century and a half
finally eliminated in the race for the
| prize in 1911 between Raold Amundsen,
| the Norwegian, and captain r. i.
Scott in which Amundsen succeeded
in discovering the pole on December
II. 1911, saws the New York Times.
The nations represented by discov-
cries or which fitted out expeditions in
search of the pole We're Great Britain,
which led with l. discoveries; United
States. two Russia. one; France. two;
Sweden, two; Norway. two; Belgium,
ore: Germany, three and Japan, one.
Captain Cook was the first to cross
the Antarctic Circle. January II, 1913
a year later he reached his most
southerly point. Il degrees 10 minutes
south latitude, near the 10th meridian
Of west longitude. establishing a rec
ord thai stood nearly 30 years lie
discovered South Georgia and the
Sandwich group Of islands. The Ant
arctic remained uneXplored thereafter
until 1919, though several American
ships visited South Georgia and may
have discovered small islands without
reporting them.
In 1919 Captain William Smith of ii
British merchantmen discovered the
South Shetlands and explored their
coasts for 250 miles. f.. c.. Belling-
shausen, in 1S20-21, under commission
Of Alexander II of Russia, command
ing an expedition of two vessels, dis
covered Peter Island, the most south
Crly land then known In 1927. an
American. Captain n. Il. Palmer
commander of the scaling ship Hero,
sailed south Of the Shethnds and
found It number of volcanic islands
which bear the name of the Palmer
Archipelago. Captain George Powell,
n British sealer, who accompanied
Captain Palmer, discovered and chart
ed the South orkney islands. In 1928
James Weddell, an Englishman. broke
Cooks record of 1913 by forcing his
two SHIPS through the sea which bears
his name and getting PHI nautical
miles nearer to the pole than Cook.
Captain John Briscoe, a British sealer.
found Enderby Land ana the Briseoe
Islands.
France took part in Antarctic ex-
rlora;ion For the first time in $40,
when Commander Dumont D'Urville
was sent with two warships to explore
IN the south, and dedicated land
which he discovered south of the
South Shetlanls Ia Louis Philippe.
The French and United States eXpedi-
lions, the latter under command of
Lieutenant Charles Wilkes of the
United states Navy. met unexpectedly
while exploring the regions in the lat
itude Of the Antarctic Circle and near
the meridian Of $40 degrees east Ion
gitudc.
Lieutenant Wilkes with six ships dis
covered what is now known as Wilkes
Land During this period an eNpedi-
tion sent out by London merchants. I'M
der command of Captain John Bale
ny, made total of three expeditions
Balleny discovered small group Of
volcanic islands that bear his name
but which was The first step toward
the discovery of Victoria Land
James clark Ross. nephew of Sir
John Ross. the Arctic explorer. 1884,
informed If Wilkes discovery of un-
defined land. found land extending
from Cape Adare n distance of 400
miles north and south.
For 81 years exploration ceased in
the Antarctic. the next expedition be
ing that of q. 5. Mares 1874, for Brit
isb sciontific work on the CHALLENGER
the first steam vessel To enter the
Antarctic and the first provided with
adequate sounding and dredging APP
paratuS. The existence of an Ant
arctic continent was proved by the
Mares expedition, and the fact that