TO THE ANTARCTIC

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2121, 13 April 1914, Page 8

TO THE ANTARCTIC

■ .'■■■■ ITS PLANS -AND OBJECT^! . Among* tho ■■numerous ■■projected'.expeditions .to r tho. Antarctic;, ono; of. tlio jno-sl- xm\> ortant is thai, which- is being organised by Jlr. J. : Foster iStackhouse, Fjt.O.S.. iJy ycsterilfi.V's Knglish mail a rircular letter was received from the pit-Umnittry advisory bnanl o*~tho ex|.iiidiUoit Retting out ttsobjeots and inviUiijj; liuaiicial support.-:. In their loiter Hie miiiWinrd of tlw board, coMprising : Sir Clenu'ina , MarlillaM. Admiral ,Sif Ali'ivil t'asetf'.Sir Joseph Walton, M.P., wid ih(* lion, llarry Lawfon, ST.t*., el.ai.o: — *■=■'.

"Wty pordiiilly support Mr. Stackl«nifiii's ontLTprisTo in organising an ox-pcdil-imi to liiu Antnrcfcie Continent. Kor tlio purpoKo of tlio cißeditioit, tho iJiscflvery, a ship specially builfe for tho timll, Aiitiir<:iic Jf,'.vi>cdition of 19Q2, to l-hoi rtosigu. iH-eparvi! by a, comtnittco of (Iks ]{oyal Uoograiiliicnl tSoeioty, lias bflflu iuif)uir«(l.

I "Tlks r.ttunl liiio of this great con,tinI'jil; ci»it,aiiily osocals 10,000 miles, of \\\Mt oX])loiw« iiayo hardly seen or survoyed onr'-tciitli. Tho South Polo, tfco fioul of recon t, explorers, has been rwiolwil, and, moroovcf, ■ Sir Ernest Shnfrlilf-tcin lias orgstniscd another ex* fieditioji to pcitßlrato into tho interior, irith ilie hitttfirblo objiicfc of agailk itttiiininii tho Smith Polo over, entirely now ground, bnt there is a vast unexplored field for -Antarctic workers ift many directions, and, Mr. Stucjriimiso's British Antarctic Expedition will not expend t'ine, onet-gy, .and iiioHoy on iittompting to penetrate far into tho interior, but tho efforts of tlse expedition will bo concentrated on scientific research and tho survey of as largo flu oxtont of tho coast liiio as possible, in order to determine what lands are iiisular and what are continental.

"On tho ontward voyage, before pTOf'cetling to tho Antarctic Continent, a line of deep-sea sounding will bo taken from tlio Falkland Islands to the Shag Bocks, and of these latter a survey will ba made, 'fiie position of theso rocks being very indefinite and situated as they are on tho track of shipping from tiro Falkland Islasida to South Georgia, they form a.groat danger to navigation. N

"From tho Shag Rocks tlio ship will proceed, running a, lino of deep-sea soundings, to South Ceorgia and the Sandwich Group, and from thence to tlio lOasitern coast of Graliam Land, where I Mr. Stackhouso \yill γ-stablisli a eufveyiuf- baso. Tlio ship \rill then sjirvey tho coast- from Graham Land, working to th* southward and eastward, aiul , will winter in tho ico at- some poinfc on this stretch of tlio coast.

"The following sußimer (December, 1915) thp ship will return to Grali-ain Land and pick up the northern patty. She will then continue the coast- .and island survey from Graham Laad" towards -King Edward VII. Land, where the second winter quarters will bo selected in February, 1516. As early as possible in tho following season tho expedition will continue tho coastal survey as far as tits Bav of Whales, and then wilt proceed to Naw Zealand. "On the Jiameward voy.igo itepertant hydrograjAieal work will be- undertaken oißongst tli-8 least known islands of the ■Southern. Pacific, and the strip will return to London via tho Panama Caiial.

"Lieutenant A. E. Harbard, R.N., who will command the MseoVdry, haa been kindly lent by tho Admiralty from the Hydrograpliical "Wβ hope tlio public will freely accord their financial support to this expedition, which will contribute * very larp-cly to our knowledge of preograpliy, geology, flora, and fauna, and will help to fill up one of tho most extensive gaps in tho cartography of* tlio iforM."

Personnel of tlio Expedition.

Tho leader of the expedition is J. Foster Stnckhouse, F.R.G.S., F.E-.5.G.5.. who has. been engaged on surveying work in Iceland and GrcoaliMid, and lias had considerable sledging experience, having travelled as far north as 82deg. 37jain. He has spent some time in. the Arctic Regions, and has , had prolonged experience travelling in Sow temperatures. The fcnc-wled.ro> he lias gained in Polar Regions Will be invaluable on this expedition. The complement of the ship will consist of master, first, second, and third offioers, scientists, jm<! crow. Amongst tiiesa wilt be.:"—

Lientenant A ,E. Barbprd, E.N., master of t-Ue Discovery. He has had considerable Antarctic experience, and was <m executive navigating officer of tho British Antarctic Expedition in 1907-09. Their Lordships tho Commissioners o f iho Admiralty have kindly lent tho services of this officer to the expedition Lieutenant E. Beatty, R.LM., navi* gator, (Subject to the approval of tho Director of the Royal Indian Marine.) Lieutenant Garsiin, 8.1.M.. first officer, was surveying lieutenant on board tho Northbrook. (Subject to tho &p« prova! of tho Director of the Royal Indian Marino.) The Graham Land party will consist of aboat 16 scientists, and wiil include the following:— Tho Master of Sempill, who k a My qualified engineer, and will take charge of tho sutcrnal combustion engines of the' aeroplane, and launch, and also <rf electric light plant. Ho will a-lso be in charge -of tho meteorological department.

Lord Gottgloton, 8.A., F.R.G.S., lieutenant, Grenadier Guards, has been employed on special work in connection, with surveying, in which capacity he will work during tho expedition. Captain A. 8. Cantfelj, R.HL.A., sur|veyor, has been kindly lent by their Lordships the Commissioners of the Ad* niiraltr. : Lreutftnant D. H. Fearson, 7th Esses Regiment, surveyor, has bccii kindly j lent by the War Office. ■ (The niinies of the. other members of the staff whose appointments are pending will be announced later.) ! the Pfna-nclai side, Sfr. Stackhouso writes as follows:— "Iho general outlines of tlio oxpedition and tho persoiiftel have been dealt with by the Preliminary Advisory Board, nnd it remains to mo to mention a few facts dealing with the question of finance. "It is estimated that the oft tire cost of tho 'expedition will ho £25.000, providing tho vessel with etofos for a voyage of four years, "If. is gratifying aMe to state that ra&mbers of tho scientific staff have expressed their willingness to serve without remuneration, and it is only with this kindlv assistance, as well as by tho fact- t-lxat certain well-kiiewn ffrms are supplying the expedition with stores at romarkably low rates, that it has been possible to reduce tho original sum required, by tho ospedition very considerably. "Tlio Amount of support which has been s'ven or promised is gratifying, considering the short time which has flapsetl since the first anMostnceine«_t of the plans. Sams havo been reccivetl From A hrr.c. litunbor of persons in every walk of lite." '