ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 18 May 1901, Page 4

ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION.

The Yessel for British Party.

The steamer Discovery, which is to carry the British Antarctic expedition on their exploration, was launched on 21st March from the yard of Dundee Shipbuilders (Limited.) In January, 1900, the committee in charge of the arrangements placed the contract to building, at a cost of over £50,000, and in March the first part of the keel was laid down. Generally speaking, tbo Discovery embodies all the characteristics of a modern whaler.

Rigged as a full bargue, the vessel is 178 ft long by 34Ec broad, with a mean draught of 20ft, and a displacement of of 1570 tons. Her coal capacity amounts to 240 tons, while the engines which are being fitted by Messrs Gourlay Brothers will bo 450 ho'sn power. Every effort has been put forth to make the vessel as strong as possible, with the result that she

i- possibly the most powerful craft of her kind over built. Scottish oak forms the

principal element in the steamer’s construction, while to impart additional resistenee, she has been given an outer sheathing of green heart and iron bark. Her stem from out side to inside is about 9ft in thickness, and the sides, in the way of the main deck, show a thickness ef 2.1-ft of solid timber. In the centre of the upper deck a magnetic observatory has been placed, and for a radius of 30 feet the fittings of the ship are entirely of brass and thus ensuring an immunity from magnetic influence. But by an ingenious contrivance the rudder and propeller can be lifted on deck whenever heavy ice is encountered. On the ‘tween decks forward the navigating party will bo berthed, while a side berth and a second laboratory are alongside. In the centre, round a large ward room, cabins have been constructed for the captain, navigating, and scientific officers. A novel arrangement has been effected with the object of preventing the penetration of cold blasts when a person enters from the outside, the doors being doubled, and the lobbies forming what are practically air locks. The lower hold is fitted with store rooms, water ballast tanks, and an auxiliary space for coal; while the after-part of the vessel is rcreserved for the machinery, so th it the scientific laboratory is perfectly free from any undue magnetic influence. The vessel is to be fitted throughout with electric light, the current being generated by a dynamo placed in the engine-room. In the Antarctic regions a windmill will be placed on deck, which will drive a separate dynamo. Included in the outfit will bo a large woollen felt covering, extending over the whole length, which will be utilised during the winter months to insure as far as possible a protection from wind and snow. The under part of the deck is lined with asbestus as a non-conductor, to exclude the extreme cold.

The British expedition is to make a start in July or August, and reach Melbourne in November. Her field of operations is the Ross Quadrant of the Antarctic circle, and it is intended to take up the thread of investigations of Sir James Ross.