THE JAPANESE.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1383, 8 March 1912, Page 5

THE JAPANESE.

A MODEST ENTERPRISE. The schooner .Kainan Muni, the ship of tho Japanese, Antarctic expedition, which left Wellington in february, of 1911 for tho Antarctic Continent, was obliged to turn back on account, of the ice-packs and icebergs which she encountered, and reached Cuulman Island, off the coast: of Victoria Land (in lal. 73 degrees 11(1 minutes south, long. 170 degrees 2 minutes east) on March If. After cruising in the vicinity of Coulmaii Island for four days, tho Kainan Mam set out for Sydney. Tho expedition again set out on November 20 last. The commander left a letter addressed to Captain •Scott to the effect that ho intended, to land near Captain Amundsen's winter quarters and thence to explore southward. Tho letter concluded:—"Should it bo our good fortune to -meet, we shall do so in the friendly spirit characteristic-.of tho cordial relations existing between the two great nations which we represent." Describing the plans of the. party, the Sydney "Telegraph" said:—"They will go through Ross Ren, penetrate the icebarrier, and striko 78 south latitude. Then they will build a hut, and get ready for tho polar dash, every man his own horse. There are leu sleds of a very light type, and ten of the strongest of the party will be harnessed to these, and will pull' them over the sni.nv and ice. Each sled will carry two cwt.—about a ton altogether." In view of the cost of Captain Scott's expedition, and in view of the .£IO,OOO or .£50,000 which Dr. Mawson wants for his, if. is not without interest to state that the amount that was handed Commander Shiraso for the Japanese expedition was J;lo,000 less .£-1000 paid for tho Kainan Marii—and this sum was expected to last for three years, as from Decomber, 1910. Out of .£II,OOO the stores, clothes, and seamen's wages had to l:c found. The bulk of tho money was provided by Count Okuina; the "rest was subscribed by other patriotic Japanese. There aro'l7 seamen to be paid; the amount they receive being about .£3 a month. The members of the scientific staff receive no salaries. But when they return to Japan there may be something waiting for them in the way of a present. And will you reach the Pole? "I think so," said Professor Takeda with a smile.