THE DISCOVERY

Hokitika Guardian, 8 November 1930, Page 6

THE DISCOVERY

READY FOR SECOND VOYAGE.

BROADCASTS PLANNED

SYDNEY, October 30

The Australian and New Zealand exploration ship the Discovery, now lies at Melbourne ready for the second voyage into the Antarctic wastes., and on this occasion she will give the world an experience it has never had before. A powerful short-wave broadcasting set has been installed, and the leader of the expedition (Sir Douglas Mawson) will broadcast talks on the work of the expedition from the Antarctic. If satisfactory communication can be established, it is probably that listeners all over the world will hear impromptu concerts broadcast from the Discovery during the voyage.

There were hundreds of applicants from men who were anxious to join the crew of the vessel. The 16 selected men have no mistaken ideas about the job for which they have been engaged. The ship is a ship of youth. Four of the crew accompanied the vessel on its last voyage, and all the men are young and enthusiastic. Romance is the last thing they are looking for. They have been trained .to the sea a(nd for them the Discovery is just another ship. Adventure they expect, and hard work they have found already. And that, they declare, is a thing a sailor can expect on any boat, whether in the tropics, or in the frozen seas. One of the most important men aboard is the wireless operator (Mr A. J. Williams) who held the same position during the last voyage. With other wireless experts he has been fitting up the new apparatus that will make" it possible for the world to lis-ten-in to the Antarctic. The set will have I\\ kilowatts behind it, working ion short v r ave. Arrangements are being made to . pick up flie Discovery in Australia so that the broadcasts can be sent to every set, and it is hoped that New Zealand will follow suit. In the concerts that are being .planned, on© of the chief performers will be the ship’s carpenter (Mr J. Williams), of Adelaide, whose banjo has been heard all over Australia through station 3CL Adelaide.

The final point of departure from Australia will be Hobart, and the Discovery will set out early next month. Fuel and supplies for a voyage that will occupy six months are being taken on board, and it is expected that valuable scientific work will be accomplished. Already, on the last voyage, much was done, but much remains to he done, and those who haves undertaken the voyage may expect a strenuous time, not free from severe hardships.