Editing Clements Markham (section)

== Later life ==

=== Shackleton and Scott ===
[[File:South - the story of Shackleton's last expedition, 1914-1917 - The Leader (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Markham initially supported—but later turned against—Ernest Shackleton]]
A few months after the ''Discovery''{{'}}s return, Markham announced his retirement from the RGS presidency. He was 75&nbsp;years old; according to his biographer he felt that his active geographical life was now over. His 12&nbsp;years in the presidency was the longest period on record. He remained a member of the RGS Council, a vice-president,<ref>A. Markham, pp.&nbsp;339–341.</ref> and he kept an active interest in Antarctic exploration, particularly in the two British expeditions which set out in the five years following his retirement. These were led respectively by [[Ernest Shackleton]] and Scott.<ref name= Riff282/><ref>A. Markham, pp.&nbsp;347–348.</ref>

Markham had agreed to Shackleton's appointment as third officer on the ''Discovery'' following a recommendation from the expedition's principal private donor.<ref>Fisher, p.&nbsp;23.</ref> He had given sympathy and support after Shackleton's early return from the expedition on grounds of ill health, and had backed the latter's unsuccessful application for a Royal Navy commission.<ref>Fisher, pp.&nbsp;79–80.</ref> Later, after Shackleton had confided his intention to lead an expedition of his own, Markham supplied a generous testimonial, describing Shackleton as "well-fitted to have charge of men in an enterprise involving hardship and peril", and "admirably fitted for the leader[ship] of a Polar Expedition."<ref>{{cite web|title= Shackleton Testimonial letter|url= http://www.spri.cam.ac.uk/library/archives/shackleton/articles/1537,2,5,16.html|website= Scott Polar Research Institute|access-date= 26 April 2009}}</ref>

He expressed strong support for Shackleton's 1907–1909 [[Nimrod Expedition|''Nimrod'' expedition]]: "... not only my most cordial wishes for your success will accompany you, but also a well-founded hope."<ref name= Riff282>Riffenburgh, p.&nbsp;282.</ref> When news of the expedition's achievement of a new [[Farthest South]] latitude of 88°23' reached him, Markham publicly signified his intention to propose Shackleton for the RGS Patron's Medal.<ref name= Riff282/>

[[File:Scottski.jpg|thumb|left|[[Robert Falcon Scott]], who remained Markham's protégé throughout his polar career]]
However, Markham had second thoughts, and was soon writing to the current RGS president, [[Leonard Darwin]], to express disbelief about Shackleton's claimed latitudes, repeating these doubts to Scott.<ref name= Riff282/> Historians have surmised that Scott was Markham's protégé, and that the old man resented polar glory going to someone else.<ref>Fisher, p.&nbsp;243.</ref> Whatever his reason, Markham adopted a bitterness towards Shackleton which he retained for the rest of his life. He is said to have crossed out all favourable references to Shackleton in his own notes on the ''Discovery'' expedition,<ref>Riffenburgh, p.&nbsp;301.</ref> and to have virtually ignored Shackleton's achievements in a 1912 address to the British Association. He was equally dismissive in his history of Antarctic exploration, ''The Lands of Silence'', published posthumously in 1921.<ref>Riffenburgh, pp.&nbsp;300–301.</ref>

By contrast, Markham remained on close personal terms with Scott and was godfather to the explorer's son, born 14&nbsp;September 1909 and named [[Peter Scott|Peter Markham Scott]] in the old man's honour.<ref>Crane, p.&nbsp;387.</ref> In his tribute to Scott in the preface to ''Scott's Last Expedition'' (1913), Markham describes Scott as "among the most remarkable men of our time", and talks of the "beauty" of his character. As Scott lay dying "there was no thought for himself, only the earnest thought to give comfort and consolation to others."<ref>L. Huxley (ed) Vol&nbsp;I, p. vi.</ref> In one of the last letters written from his final camp, days from death, Scott wrote: "Tell Sir Clements&nbsp;I thought much of him, and never regretted his putting me in command of the 'Discovery'."<ref>L. Huxley (ed) Vol&nbsp;I, p.&nbsp;604.</ref>

=== Retirement ===
[[File:Markham in old age.jpg|thumb|Markham in old age. Originally painted by [[George Henry (painter)|George Henry]] in 1913 and of which a photogravure was made by Emery Walker. It includes a statuette of a polar explorer on the table and a painting of a cinchona plant on the wall.]]
After his retirement from the RGS presidency, Markham led an active life as a writer and traveller. He wrote biographies of the English kings [[Edward IV]] and [[Richard III]], and of his old naval friend Admiral Sir [[Leopold McClintock]]; he also kept up his editing and translating work.<ref name= Baigent/><ref>A. Markham, pp.&nbsp;341–345.</ref> He continued to produce papers for the RGS, and remained president of the [[Hakluyt Society]] until 1910.<ref name= Baigent/> Markham continued to travel extensively in Europe, and in 1906 cruised with the Mediterranean squadron, where Scott was acting as flag captain to Rear Admiral [[George Egerton (Royal Navy officer)|George Egerton]]. When, in 1909, Scott announced his plans for a new Antarctic venture, the [[Terra Nova Expedition|''Terra Nova'' expedition]], Markham assisted with fundraising and served on the expedition's organising committee, arranging the deal which brought in Lieutenant "Teddy" Evans as second-in-command, in return for the abandonment of Evans's own expedition plans.<ref>Crane, p.&nbsp;401.</ref>

Markham was awarded honorary degrees from the [[University of Cambridge]] and [[University of Leeds]]. In conferring this latter degree, the [[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]] referred to Markham as "a veteran in the service of mankind", and recalled that he had been "for sixty years the inspiration of English geographical science."<ref>A. Markham, pp.&nbsp;344, 351–352.</ref> However, Markham did not altogether avoid controversy. In 1912, when [[Roald Amundsen]], conqueror of the South Pole, was invited by RGS president Leonard Darwin to dine with the Society, Markham resigned his council seat in protest.<ref>Jones, p.&nbsp;92.</ref>

The news of the death of Scott and his returning polar party reached Markham in February 1913, while he was staying in [[Estoril]].<ref name= AHM356>A. Markham, pp.&nbsp;356–360.</ref> He returned to England, and assisted with the preparation of Scott's journals for publication.<ref>Jones, p.&nbsp;122.</ref> Scott's death was a heavy blow, but Markham continued to lead a busy life of writing and travelling. In 1915, he was present at the service in St Peter's Church, [[Binton]], near [[Stratford-upon-Avon]], where a window was dedicated to Scott and his companions; later that year he assisted at the unveiling of the Royal Navy's statue of Scott, in Waterloo Place, London.<ref name= AHM356/> Markham read his last paper for the RGS on 10&nbsp;June 1915, its title being "The History of the Gradual Development of the Groundwork of Geographical Science".<ref name= AHM356/>