Vol. XXI, No. 3 



WASHINGTON 



March, I9I0 



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THE RACE FOR THE SOUTH POLE 



1XTEREST in the /\merican expedi- 

 tion to the SoLitli Polar regions has 

 been very much increased during the 

 past month by the coming to the United 

 States of Sir Ernest H. Shackleton. This 

 distinguished explorer gave his first lec- 

 ture in America in Washington, March 

 26, to 5,000 members and guests of the 

 National Geographic Society. At the 

 conclusion of the address the President 

 of the United States, on behalf of the 

 . Society, presented him with the Hubbard 

 Gold Aledal of the National Geographic 

 Society, recently awarded Sir Ernest for 

 his important discoveries in the Antarctic 

 regions and for gaining farthest south — 

 88° 23' — January 9, 1909. 



"No private citizen has ever received a 

 more auspicious welcome to America. 

 Statesmen, diplomats, scientists, artists, 

 men of letters, and men of distinction in 

 every walk of life united in a- great 

 chorus of greeting to one of the most 

 distinguished Englishmen of the present 

 day. The audience included the Presi- 

 dent of the United States, Commander 

 Robert E. Peary, the Ambassador of 

 Great Britain and the entire staff of the 

 British Embassy, the ambassadors of 

 France, Germany, Japan, and Mexico, 

 the ministers of Costa Rica, Portugal, 

 Norway, The Netherlands, Denmark. 

 Switzerland, and Sweden, the Secretary 

 of the Treasury, the Secretary of War, 

 the Secretary of the Navy, the Secretary 

 of Commerce and Labor, the Admiral of 

 the Navy, and many Members of Con- 

 gress. Shackleton bore the honors 



crowded upon him with the spirit which 

 he has shown since he emerged from the 

 Antarctic regions nearly a year ago — with 

 modesty and simple grace." 



The expedition which formed the sub- 

 ject of his address has been fully de- 

 scribed in previous numbers of the Na- 

 tional Geographic ^^IagazinE.* Sir 

 Ernest will repeat his lecture in many 

 parts of the United States during April, 

 May, and June. 



His narrative is one of the most in- 

 spiring stories of adventure and accom- 

 plishment ever told, the courage, wit, 

 pluck, resourcefulness, and good com- 

 radeship of the leader and his men mak- 

 ing a most thrilling tale. Particularly 

 interesting are moving pictures of the 

 strange penguin, a bird 4 feet in height 

 and weighing 90 pounds, which cannot 

 fly and waddles something like a seal. 



Lieutenant Shackleton holds the record, 

 not only for getting 400 miles nearer the 

 South Pole than any of his predecessors, 

 but also for the unparalleled importance 

 of his contributions to scientific knowl- 

 edge of conditions in the far south. The 

 cost of his expedition was much greater 

 than the funds he had personally raised. 

 so that when he returned to England in 

 1909 he found himself $175,000 in debt. 

 The British government knighted him 

 for his achievements and made him a 

 grant of $100,000. The balance he is now 

 paying ofif by lectures and by his ,book. 

 "The Heart of the Antarctic." 



* Nat. Geoc. j\Iag., April and November, 1909. 



