THE NEW GUINEA EXPEDITION.

Evening Star, Issue 3826, 29 May 1875, Page 3

THE NEW GUINEA EXPEDITION.

{From the Sydney Morning Herald, May 13.) The barque Ohevert. purchased by Mr William .Macleay, P.L.S., for the expedition to New Guinea, about to be undertaken by that gentlemai i i.i the cause of science, is of 314 tons register, i originally built for the French navy at Rochefort, 1860, and a model of the old school, having great beam and rise of floor. She is under the immediate command of Captain Edwards, hav ing fifteen years’ experience of the island trade in the Pacific. The ship’s company consists of th' 3 .master, two mates, an engineer, a carpenter, three stewards, a cook, i l hree able seamen, . eight Kanakas, a lad, ai.'d Dr James (, v he surgeon.) Besides tho Jforegoing the following persons will sail in the Cheven,' - Expedition Mr W. IV taoleay. Captain Onslow, R.N ; Mr Masfce rsand Mr Brazier, naturalists; Mr Pettard id Mr Spalding, zoological collectors and taxidis mists ; and Mr Reading and Mr Dingwell, b otanists—inwall |thirty t?ouls. The two botanical collectors are sent hj? Sir William Maca rthur, but all the rest of £he scientific staff are at the sole charge of Mr Macleay, by whottT*. the expedition is fitted out. Th© Chevert f.s; well supplier I with every needful store and s yecial appliani se for her voyage. There is a neat little anno) ry in tho after cabin, well supp lied with Sr ider rifles, breech-loading revolvers, and such like weapons—should such mean a of defence be necessary. She also carries t - ivo handsome brass six-pounders on deck, and j i large num her of rockets and harpoon guns. The provision made for collecting zoolog ,dc *al and botanical specimens is ample an “ bo .tisfactory. Two hundred and fifty galloi u of spirits of wine have been put °n bo* -d for preserving zoological specimens; and. th o naturalists will also find themselves weld p; ,-ovided with nets and contrivances for fishing , such as seine and trawl nets, and iraplcmer its for dredging, &o. The Ohevert carries on . board a very large supply of all kinds of “ trad' a,” to facilitate friendly intercourse with the na (fives of New Guinea. Mr Macleay received numerous offers to accompany the expedition, nearly all from love of adventure rather

than regard to emolument. He would have found no difficulty in fitting out and xnnn-njn? twenty such ships if he hiul wanted to do so. People of all classes manifested the most eager interest herein.