POLAR EXPEDITIONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 171, 31 July 1901, Page 2

POLAR EXPEDITIONS.

Our cablegrams this morning refer to the departure of the two Antarctic expeditions, so that it is apparent the financial difficulties have been overcome. A short time ago it was feared that the efforts were stamped with failure, but persistency has won the day. The difficulties that faced the promoters were plainly set out by a candid friend, writing to tho Pall Mall Gazette, his opinion being that lack of advertisement was really the greatest

obstacle in the way. The Germans, it was stated, are equipped and provided with funds for three years’ work, hut then they have circulated for a long time a bulky pamphlet giving the fullest details of every feature of their expedition. The British have only collected enough money for two years’ work, and are finding difficulty in raising sufficient to pay for a tender, a paramount necessity. The learned societies have preserved a stony silence about the expedition, and have even discouraged would-be helpers. What is disclosed to the public is an unfortunate internal disagreement. A policy of positive secrecy is not calculated to draw subscriptions from the public, for they want to know what the object of the expedition is, and how their money is to bo expended. Tho candid friend proceeds to enlighten them by a summary of a secret abstract of accounts. “It is based,” he says, “ upon a capital estimate of TSO,OOO, split up into six divisions. The first is for the ship, priced at,£30,”50; tho second for her engines, £IO,OOO ; the third for salaries aud wagos, £17,400 ; the fourth for provisions and general clothing, £9,130; the fifth tho shore outfit, for which £3IOO is allowed; and generalities in tire sixth division account for £3300. A serviceable boat that would have answered the purpose in a way, though not nearly so well as the Discovery, could have been picked up for a lot less money, and out of a total of £BO,OOO, over £IO,OOO seems a huge proportion to spend on a ship empty of all but her engines.” The provisions and clothing estimate is formulated on a three years’ basis, and the principal items in it are"£soo for “provisions, rum, pemmican, and medical comforts,” £2OO for boats, £SOO for a library, £IOO for medical stores, £2,350 for woollen and general clothing, and £3OO for fur clothing. It seems paltry for any of these allowances to be cavilled at. “Tobacco and soap, £100,” seems a queer combination, but the estimate is reasonable. Photographic and signalling apparatus are needed if the work is to be effective. It is an astonishing thing that somo of tho millionaires do not give more support to these expeditions.