South by Northwest

The Magnetic Crusade and the
Contest for Antarctica

by GRANVILLE ALLEN MAWER

"For many, Antarctic history begins and ends with the race between Scott and Amundsen for the geographic south pole but they were late to the start and only briefly on the course. By then, another polar race had already been in progress for seventy years, and it would continue for even longer. That race, for the South Magnetic Pole, was a marathon rather than a sprint and its starting point was suitably distant from Antarctica, in the ice of the fabled Northwest Passage.

"The Magnetic Pole eluded the rival French, American and British expeditions sent to find it in 1840-41. It also defeated their successors - Shackleton and Mawson - at the turn of the century. Not until 1986 did Australian scientists succeed, and only then by literally running it down. Along the way, the magneticians collectively unveiled much of Greater Antarctica, but their achievements were blighted by bitter controversies about who first saw what. Governments, being what they are, turned these into another contest, one for Antarctic territory."

Source : The inside cover of the book

More Books by Granville Allen Mawer :

• MOST PERFECTLY SAFE
• FAST COMPANY
• AHAB'S TRADE

Book Cover image:
The corvette Astrolabe breaking free of the Antarctic pack ice 9 February 1838
Artist : AEF Mayer, National Library of Australia
Cover design: Liz Nicholson

Buy the Book at BoomerangBooks.com