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About The daily gazette-times. (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1909-1921 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 12, 1909)
WILKES LAND SEEKER Philadelphian Plans Expedition to Region Around South Pole. HOPES TO GO IN SEPTEMBER Or. Henry E. Wetherill, Traveler and Inventor, Says It Is America's Duty io Substantiate Claim to Vast Terri tory Lying Within Antarctic Circle. Now that the north pole has been discovered the question is arising in the minds of explorers, What of the south pole? ' Among those who are planning to go couth is Dr. Henry E. Wetherill of Philadelphia, a surgeon and inspector of rifle practice in the Pennsylvania naval reserves, once a companion' of Commander Peary in arctic travel and an inventor of scientific instruments. Dr. Wetherill is preparing to explore the region surrounding the south pole known as Wilkes Land, which, he said recently, was the most fascinat ing field for the explorer today. "It Js a. vast territory," he explained, 'lying wholly within the antarctic circle and in vastness can be said to be at least twice this size of the United States! Commander Wilkes of the .United .States navy discovered it, approaching : rom the south of Australia in 1840. -.Lieutenant Shackleton crossed a sec- ; tion of this land on his recent dash to ward the south-pole, entering upon it, as well as I can understand, from a : point somewhat to the southward of ..South. America. . Fertile Field For Explorers. "This great waste affords a fertile field for the explorer because it is Oand. and upon it there Is a chance ef discovering interesting conditions. There is a comparatively small amount of land in the north polar regions, which makes that territory of less im portance, to my way of thinking, than this region surrounding" the south pole." Dr. Wetherill pointed out the fact that it had been a question in the minds of some as to whether Com joaander Wilkes actually discovered this 'Continent which bears his name, and he thinks that since the north pole has ' 1een discovered it Is the duty of Amer icans to send an expedition south to substantiate the American claim and In a way to vindicate Wilkes. "Such a plan," said Dr. Wetherill, - "has been taking shape in the minds -sfif certain, members of American scien tific societies for years, but now tne matter seems to be taking definite form. Edwin Swift Balch, a member of the Philadelphia Philosophical so ciety and a leading authority on south polar conditions, has applied to the Philadelphia Geographical society, and, I think, to two other societies as; well, for support in bringing the question to the attention of congress during the coming term. I understand that con gress . will be asked; to appropriate money for the expedition, which I Should think would require about $500,i 000." , . . .. ' , ... ' Would Take Three Ships. .Dr. Wetherill has" made fqrinjil ap plication for the command of the ex pedition , should; one be formed, and in the meantime he is going ahead with his plans, believing that the funds will be forthcoming. He would take three small ships, to be built after the model of the magnet survey ship Carnegie, of-the auxiliary-type. ' One of these would be used as a supply ship, a sec ond for cruising at sea out of danger of the ice fields, but within call by wireless in case anything should hap pen to the third ship, which he woul personally command and which would be used for the actual work of ex ploration. , , , j r 4 . ; ji Dr. Wetherill has -been for years in terested in Inventing instruments for scientific use. He has recently invent ed a patent sextant, also, a table "for taking Greenwich time by what fie calls lunar declination that j is, Jo; determine longitude by an observation of the moon. ' ' . He explained that lunar observations for longitude were, made 4n the past, but the task was one of such' complex ity that few navigators were equal to It. He has devised a simplified meth od "which he considers' to be one of his most Important contributions to the science of navigation. By the use of this table, he said, longitude could be determined by a lunar observation In fifteen minutes. The Stellar Sextant. The new sextant which Dr. Wetherill has invented contains, instead of two reflectors of the old type, cfnly one re flector, which makes it of especial value in polar work, due to the fact that a star can be much more readily observed through it. Dr. Wetherill not only devised this instrument, but he actually built it, ' using, he' said, ' the model of an old quadrant. Because of its service, to. navigation by the stars he has named it the stellar sextant. Dr. Wetherill has traveled extensive ly. He accompanied Dr. . Henry G. Bryant when the latter went to Green land in 1804 to try to find the where abouts of the naturalists Bjorling and Kalestanius,- who were Aost in the north. On that trip Peary- and party, including. Dr.. Frederick A. Cook;, were brought, out of rthe arctic. Rugged of appearance and enthusi astic, Dr..Wetherili has the typical ex plorer's personality. . He is looking for ward keenly ' to the forthcoming ex pedition, ' which he- believes he will command. '. The proper .time to- start for Wilkes Land, he said, would be next September. .' GIFTS FOR JAPAN AND CHINA. Our Navy to Show Appreciation of Orientals' Cordial Welcome. - In recognition of the hearty welcome extended to our naval officers and men the. imperial , Chinese as-ell as the imperial Japanese navy is to be reg membered in splendid fashion by the officers and, enlisted men of the At lantic fleet who, made the round the world voyage last year. The entire Atlantic fleet is concerned in the pres entation of" the gold mounted "loving cup that is going to the' oflicers and sailors of the mikado's fleet. Only those officers and men. who' were serving in the second squadron ' of .the fleet are responsible" for the Chinese gift. The token that is going to China is a magnificent punch bowl more than two feet high and costing more than $1,000. It Is the joint gift of the oflicers and men of the battleships Louisiana, "Vir ginia, Georgia. "Wisconsin, Illinois,' Ken tucky. Kedrsarge anil Ohiot the vessels that visited Atnoy and Hongkong un der Rear Admiral Schroeder. the pres ent commander ,in chief of tbe Atlantic fleet. At that time the vessels named constituted the -second squadron of Ad miral Sperry's command. :- ,, . , The visit to China of the American ships was the occasion of one- of the most denstrative welcomes ever ex tended foreigners by that rafner ex: elusive people, the visit ' bein a con tinual round of entertainments: "excur sions and receptions tendered-,, the Americans by the highest dignitaries in the Chinese empire.' . , . - - A $20,000 SHAKESPEARE. Forty Volumes In the Most Costly Set - , Ever Produced. '' . According to the publishers, ' what promises to be the most costly copy of Shakespeare's works Is at present In the making in, New "fork. This copy, which will run into forty volumes when completed, is being put together from the spoils of various famous edi tions of -Shakespeare that have bee ransacked . f or the purpose, the Edin burgh folio, edited by W. E. Henley; being the basis for the work. In the original: this, folio is In ten volumes; The additions made to this particular copy have quadrupled it in size. Among other features these additions Include 240 original water .color draf tees bv Jean Paleoloeue. 120 original illuminative and decorative designs py Eastoht " raielogue's .wif ef ; 80 original water colors by Gifford. 24 original water colors by Schueltetus, 18 by Daniel Garber and 2,500 etchings, mez zotints, steel, copper arid wood engrav ings. including the best known among Shakespeare illustrations. The bind ing, -which, is.' of course: a . -main fea ture', in these volumes,, Is. full Irencb leyaht, red. The value placed on each yojuine is $500". giving to theentire set wheb .finished a prospective value of $20,000. . HAD GOOD TIME IN JAIL Roland Hintph ' ferry,' Anti-alimony Sculptor. So Declares. Roland HintoqlPerry,' thp,sctilptor who was adjudged In contempt of court and sent to J.uJlw street 'jail In New York citv orr April 1 last for failing to pay tip his back alimony, finished his ,U-rm of sfx months and was released. ' The artist" praised the Ludlow street jail in a manner to make Warden Regan blush, j As a jail, he said, it : iS-as absolutely Idea:!.' ; : - "But don't ' get the iffe that It's a club," he said. . "The djfference Is that In a club yoi: are allowed' the privilege of choosing your companions, while at Ludlow street" ne paused' significant ly and gave I he idea (hat if one had to spend it day playing penuchTe it was far Jbetter to have congenial compan ionship.'' , "You must not. think that T fifrre any fault to find." he added1. "I spent a pleasant summer on the1 whoTe. My room was remarkably cool' It was srapr plied with books and magazines. "and about the only thing that I' missed outside of my family and1 my work was exercise." WORK FOR ABOLITIONISTS. Slavery Conditions In Portuguese Is lands Arouse British Reformers; In calling attention to conditions ex isting on the Portuguese , island of San Thome and Principe, off, the coast of Africa, the British Anti-slavery so ciety declares that the "coeoai slavery" existing there is worse than, anything that appeared in the days when, there were slaves in Jamaica. It seems that from 30,000. to. a7,000 negroes are on the. jslands of San Thome and Principe and that the- mor tality is so great thati lb IS- necessary to import between 5,000 audi 6;00O an nually to keep up the number audi that those whd arrive on the Islands are about half of the number sent from the interior. In other, words 10;000 lives are annually sacrificed thai) cocoa may be cher COPPER S NEWTON HARDWARE C01 We do the Best Plumbing and Carry a full line of Plumbers' Supplies Dealers. In Hardware, Implements, Buggies, Wagons, Cream Sepa- : rators, Granite ware, Tmware and Builders Hare Congo Roof ing and Quick Meal Ranges Second Street, Corvaliis. Oregon The Gazette-Times 50c per month. Benton County Lumber Co. Manufacturers of all kinds of fir Liitfiber, Moulding, Ccflar Posts, anil Split. Gedar Shakes Dealers in Qm, Windows, Lime, Brick, Cement, (AeilK Send ns your name aiwl address B!, 7 s -t . " v and receive free postpaid thisgT, 7 - l beautiful illustrated catalog, wkhSt."" V' ' complete cultural directions. .. 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