DISCOVERY’S NEW VOYAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 September 1929, Page 8

DISCOVERY’S NEW VOYAGE

WELL EQUIPPED SHIP,

UNMAPPED REGIONS

LONDON, August 1

About three hundred people took the opportunity to visit the Discovery prior to her departure for the Vntarctic. Captain J. Iv. , Davis, (master) and the officers were “at home” in the East India Dock on July 27th. At Cardiff the ship will take in patent fuel and then go to Cape Town, being, due about the end of October, where she will be joined by Sir D. Mawson.

From Cape TwOn the ship will sail for Enderby Isle, and begin her work of exploration. Other work will be ol a zoological and meteorological character, and Sir Douglas Mawson conceives it possible ‘that new fishing; grounds may be discovered, to the advantage of Australian industries. About March next the ship will go to Hobart, Tasmania, and be based there till she returns to the Antarctic in the following season. This implies that she will be away two .winters, but it is expected that by means of wireless she will be in constant communication .with. London- a-nd Aus tralia throughout the whole period, so that the progress of her work will he known to the public.

All told, she will carry forty persons, of whom twenty-eight are officers and crew. Captain J. K. Davis commands tile ship. He takes with him Dr. Ingram, medical officer j Professor Harvey Johnston, zoologist; Mr Fletcher and Mr Falla, assitant geologists; Mr A. Howard, chemist; Mr J. W; S. Marr, planktology expert; Mr Simmers, meteorologist; Commander M. H. Moyes, surveyor; Captain F. Hurley,- photographer; Mr S. 'Campbell, aviator; Sergeant E. Douglas, mechanic; Mr Iv. N. Mackenzie, Mr W. R. Colbeck, and Mr J. B. Child, respectively first, second, and third officer; Mr W. J. Griggs and Mr F. B. Welch, respectively chief and second officer; and Mr A. J. Williams, Royal Navy wireless and echo-sounding expert. STEAM AND SAIL. .

The visitors found much to interest them on the sturdy little ship, which measures about 178 ft long and 34ft wide, and has a displacement of about 1620 tons. She has both sail and steam capacity. In the process of refitting the whole of the running rigging has been renewed. A noticeable feature is the great strength of the bows, which is necessary for making progress through pack ice. She carries echosounding gear lor measuring the depths olf the ocean, as well as direction-find-ing apparatus. Her equipment also includes a do Havilnud Gipsy Moth seaplane. This type of machine is capable of withstanding extreme cold, and is much used for forestry patroi and fire-fighting on the northern lakes of Canada. It can, if necessary, ‘‘take off” from ice floes, as well as from tile water, and is furnished with wireless apparatus.