868 Captain Robert F. Scott [May 27, 



course, a well-known expedient in polar work, but it has to be 

 remembered that each multiple of the original number of men only 

 adds a fraction, and a diminishing fraction, to the radius of action. 

 In other words, a party with the aid of a supporting party of equal 

 numbers can only hope to achieve a distance one-third greater than 

 it would have done had it been without a supporting party. Taking 

 this fact into consideration, together with the increased risk of 

 individual breakdowns which the larger number of men must bring, 

 it must be evident that the achievement of the South Pole, in view 

 of the distance which has to be traversed in the second and third 

 phases of the journey, is by no means a certainty. Of course, one 

 is not without hope that either tlie ponies, the dogs, or the motor 

 sledges may traverse the disturbed regions of the glacier, and if this 

 is possible the difficulty of the journey should be greatly diminished. 

 But, even so, it must be remembered that the last phase of the 

 journey, owing to the height of the plateau, has to be accomplished 

 under climatic conditions which for severity,are unequalled either in 

 the Arctic or Antarctic regions. 



The excessive winter cold of the Great Ice Barrier does not seem 

 to commence to pass away until the month of September, and 

 conditions of travelling remain comparatively severe even in October. 

 For this reason, perhaps more on account of the animals than the 

 men, I do not propose to start upon the southern journey until the 

 month of October, iliat month and the following will be spent 

 traversing the Barrier and ascending the glacier. I should hope to 

 reach the upper plateau fairly early in December. An ideal day for 

 reaching the South Pole would be the 22nd of that month, when the 

 sun achieves its maximum altitude. 



Special 4-inch theodolites have been constructed for the expedi- 

 tion. With such instruments, and the sun at an altitude of 28°, 

 there is no doubt that the position of the pole could be determined 

 with an accuracy of 1 mile, and it is interesting to consider a situation 

 where the sun could be followed by the telescope of the instrument 

 for twenty-four hours without any perceptible difference in its 

 altitude. 



Such is the main outline of my plan for reaching the South Pole, 



I will turn now to give you some idea of the men who will help 

 forward these plans. Time does not permit me to more than briefly 

 note their names and the work that will be entrusted to them. 



Lieut. E. R. G. R. Evans, a distinguished navigating officer in 

 the Navy, and the possessor of former Antarctic experience, will be 

 second in command of the expedition. He will be in command of 

 the 2'erra Nova on her outward voyage, and be landed in the 

 Western party. . 



Lieut. Victor Campbell, an ex-naval officer, will be in charge of 

 the Eastern party. 



With the Western party, for surveying and general executive 



