A New Polar Expedition.

Manawatu Herald, 21 March 1895, Page 3

A New Polar Expedition.

A dew Austrian polar expedition is being organised by Herr Julius von Payer, .the explorer of Franz Josef Land. Its main object is an artiotio one, 2 scientific discovery taking secondary rank. For this purpose Herr .von Payer will be accompanied by a number of landscape and animal painters and photographers, with^wnose assistance he hopes to secure an artistic representation of the physical features of the country. He ur having specially built for the voyage a steamer of about 200 horse power,: which will be manned by Dalmatian sailors, under the command of three capable naval officers. | It is*alfticipated that the expedition will start in June, 1896, and will spend two years in the exploration ! of the east coast of Greenland. The actual work will begin at the 74th degree of latitude and will extend beyond the 77th degree. Herr von Payer is convinced that in this dis triot, with which he is already acquainted, and which he describes as the richest in colour and the most beaullftll that can be imagined, artiste will receive entirely new imprtJßsibns of nature which will give, a fresh character to landscape painting. There are, he says, 800 varieties of blooming plants in East Greenland, and in the spring the grass stands Bft high. Herr von Payer acknowledges, however, that both artistic and scientific work are rendered extremely difficult by the great severity of the climate.