The matter of being the first to get there is largely one of sentimental interest.
He would like the British to be first.
At the same time, he says, it would be wrong to organise an expedition with the sole object of simply getting to a given geographical point.
In these days of science and enlightenment every concession must be made to the interests of science, and every opportunity taken of studying natural phenomena in the regions visited.
With these preliminary observations, Captain Scott proceeded to give me some details as to the splendid manner in which his present expedition is equipped for scientific purposes.
The chief of the scientific staff (Dr Wilson) was with him in the Discovery on the occasion of his former expedition.
He is, said Captain Scott, the greatest authority on the birds of the Far South, and in addition is an artist of high attainments.
The geological interest attaching to the present expedition is as important as ever.
The utilitarian aspect, of course, comes in, but from this point of view it is, says Captain Scott, inadvisable to make emphatic statements, seeing that the objects of the expedition are not utilitarian.
At the same time it seems fairly certain from previous investigations that the country has mineral wealth, and Professor David has arranged a staff of geologists who are capable of prospecting in search of economic minerals as well as of studying the country from a scientific point of view.
The wonderful development of ski running in Norway, and the feats of Alpine skiers in Switzerland, must lead anyone who has studied that form of locomotion to the conclusion that ski (pronounced "shee") must be a very valuable accessory in the outfit of an Arctic explorer.
Captain Scott had skis with him on his former expedition, but the members of the expedition were not expert in the use of these long, narrow snowshoes.
Moreover, neither the ski nor the fastenings were suitable to the conditions in the Far South.
Since then he has procured skis that are thought by experts to be most suitable for travel in the Antarctic.
Not only that, but he has also engaged as a member of his party an expert Norwegian ski-runner (Mr Gran), who, by the way, is the only foreigner in the expedition.
- ODT, 28.10.1910.
