THE COPE EXPEDITION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 80, 30 December 1919, Page 5

THE COPE EXPEDITION

PLANS FOR DISCOVERY OF MINERAL WEALTH (By Telegraph-Press Association-Copyright London, December 27. _ Dr. John Copo is advancing his plans for his expedition to discover minerals, precious stones, and other wealth in the Antarctic, and mark out a new field for British and Australian enterprise. A total of ,£2A,000 has been promised and J!lfiO,000 is required. Ho expects'to start for Wellington in June, 193). The Term Nova, which cost J22f>,000, will shortly return from Newfoundland, when another .€25,000 will ho. spent on refitting her. Powerful wireless appur'atus will be installed, and oil endues v/ill replace the steam engines.

The explorers will rely especially on a big four-seater aeroplane, designed to carry a sledge and large supplies of fuel, photographic mater:als, and food. The aviators will carry out all the inland surveying, and besides uumc'.'ous "still" photographs, will take sweeping kinema pictures. Tho aeroplane will be provided with skis for landing on ice. Thirty dogs will be iiswl to pull sledges for shorter surveys..

The staff will comprise M men, of whom the shoro parry will absorb seventeen. Tho majority of the se'entists are Australians. Dr. Cope is confident that th'i climate is not more severe, and that the natural difficulties are not greater, than in Siberia and Klondyke, and the wealth of the area is probably equal to that of those regions—Aus.-N./,. Cable Assn.