MAWSON EXPEDITION

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 45, 22 February 1930, Page 10

MAWSON EXPEDITION

ANTARCTIC RESEARCH

WIEELESS PECULIARITIES

United tress Association—By : Electric Tele-

urapli—Copyright.

(Received "2nd February, 2.30 p.m.) CANBERRA, This Day.

A radio message from Sir Douglas Mawson, dated 18th February,, states that while the Discovery was at Royal Sound, Kerguelen Island, her boilers were chipped. Radio communication was therefore limited as the only power available waa a small auxiliary motor which was run for a short period daily. Full power is now restored, but they are still unable to establish free wireless touch with Australia. The same effect of screening from eastern localities was experienced as when we were here last, although the difficulty docs not exist a few miles away from Kcrguelen Island. During the voyage the wireless operator, Williams, met many other curious irregularities in radio distribution. One example was that wo have been within two thousand miles of the Byrd expedition on the opposite side of the Antarctic continent, yet we have never been able to communicate directly with it. Coaling has now advanced and the engine is being overhauled and should be completed by Friday. Meanwhile the scientific staff, though hampered by hurricane winds, has been busy ashore mapping and collecting. A number of white Samoyed dogs, in fine fettle, have been sighted. They are reported to be descendants of the sledge dogs left' by the Gauss expedition in 1902. They are very destructive to birds and seals.