SCOTT’S OLD SHIP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2712, 25 March 1924, Page 4

SCOTT’S OLD SHIP.

TO GO SOUTH AGAIN

ON WHALE RESEARCH EX-

PEDITION.

Interesting food for (hough I was contained in the announcement in March last year by the Colonial Office in London that Captain Scott’s old ship, (he Discovery, had been purchased by the Crown Agent for the Colonies, on behalf of the Government of the Falkland Islands, in order to be employed on an investigation into the whaling industry in South Georgia and the South Shetland Islands. It is feared that at (he present rate of destruction, whales might in time become extinct, and the object of the forthcoming expedition is to make investigations regarding their habits and breeding. Tn addition to the official announcement, a letter written in London by Captain J. R. Stenhou.se, D. 5.0., R.N.R., who is to command the expedition, has been received by Mr. A. Slinger, of Auckland. This letter states, inter alia: “The Discovery will not he ready for sea for some months yet. She is being practically rebuilt, and is to be again barque-rigged with an increased sail area. There is a very large whaling industry in the dependencies around South Georgia and the South Shetland Islands, but knowledge in regard to the numbers and habits of the whales is insufficient to enable the industry to bo controlled in such a way as to guard against depletion. The Discovery’s complement will include men who are capable of ascertaining the geographical limits of the whales, to trace their migration, and to form some approximate idea of their numbers and their rate of reproduction. The Colonian Office in London made the following statement concerning the Discovery and the proposed expedition in April of last year: “The Secretary <«f State for the Colonies has appointed an executive committee to control the researches recommended by the m-ter-Departmental Committee on Research and Developemen! of the Falkland Islands, and, in particular, the investigation of the question of the preservation of the whales and of I lie whaling industry, which has been the subject of Government regulation since its inception nearly twenty years ago.” The Discovery is a strong wooden vessel of approximately 700 tons register, and was built at Dundee for Captain R. F. Scott's expedition to the Antarctic, which started i„ mol. The vessel was frozen tn at the winter quarters and Scott received orders to abandon her am return in the relief ship >ent. but tin- Discovery broke out of the ice in February. 1004. and Scott brou-o-lit her home in perfect '”'der. Since that time, she ha.- been used

a winder by an American com nany. It is possible that the vesse will call at New Zealand on her vo.\

age south. Captain Stenliouse wa- with I t Shaekeiton expedition when the Aurora was caught in a -e\cie ga c at ARMurdo Sound, and he ai.torwards brought her to Port Cahners for repair* Captain Stenhouse was with the Na\\ at Auh angel during the war.