MESSAGE FROM MAWSON

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8356, 17 February 1913, Page 2

MESSAGE FROM MAWSON

FIRST FOR MONTHS. PRINCIPAL PARTY WELL. Professor David, Sydney, received on February 4th a wireless message from Dr Mawson from bis winter quarters at Adelie Land, in the Antarctic continent. Adelie Land is about 1800 miles south of Hobart, and about 4000 miles northwest of Captain Scott’s headquarters, near Mount Erebus. The message says!—•‘Wireless from Mawson; everything ‘O.K.’ He cannot read me yet. Signed, Sawyer.” Interviewed by a “Daily Telegraph” reporter. Professor David staled; “Mr Sawyer is the wireless operator in charge of the Australasian Wireless Company’s installation- at Macquarie Island. Dr Mawson has heen fitted out with a similar installation by the same company at his base at Adelie Land. “This is tho first message that has come through from Dr Mawson tor some mouths past, and as far as it goes’ is very satisfactory as showing that all IB well with the principal party. No news can be received for some weeks yet of Dr Mawson’s farthest outlying party, under Mr Frank Wild, late of the Shaeklcton expedition, at a point on the Antarctic coast about 1200 miles west of Adelie Hand. "No mention is made in the brief wirelees message of the arrival of the Aurora. The Aurora left Hobart on December 2'3th, well found in every respect, and in charge of an experienced and cautious navigator, Captain J. K. Davis. It was expected that she would perhaps reach Adelie Land by about January 30th, but in view of the fact that tho Antarctic coast is often beset with, wide streams of pack ice—tho ice which is formed over the surface of the sea during winter, subsequently broken up and set adrift by the summer gales—one must always be prepared for delays, and sometimes several weeks elapse before one’s ship can force a passage to the shore. There is no danger to a well fortified ship like the Aurora from such pack ice; forcing a passage through it is simply a question of time, skill, and patience. “The fact that the message says He cannot read me yet’—that is. Dr Mawson is unable to receive messages by wirele* (lent from Macquarie Island—probably implies that tho Aurora has not reached the ’ base, for if she had the excellent wireless-receiving outfit‘supplied by the Australasian Wireless Co., and sent down on the Aurora on this voyage in charge of Mr Jeffries, to replace the existing receiver, which has probably been damaged, would have enabled Dr Mawson to have heard Mr Sawyer’s wireless messaged from Macquarie Island. “it may be mentioned that, while scientists in Australia have every confidence in the wireless operator,,(Mr Hannam) now with Dr Mawson, it was thought desirable to send down an additional operator, as there would not be much time available for wireless messages to be,exchanged after the arrival of the Aurora at Adelie Land, and much ivork jn that respect remained to bo done, particularly in tho matter of exchanging time signals with the Observatory at Melbourne. “It is of great importance scientifically to send accurate time by wireless to Dr Mawson, within a second or thereabouts, of tho absolutely correct time, in order that ho may establish the existing meridian of his headquarters, whore his, whole series of very important magnetic observations have been continually taken throughout the year. The value of these magnetic Observations will be much enhanced by this transmittal of accurate time. ' ' , “Probably any day now one may expect to hear of tho safe arrival of tho Aurora at Adelie Land,' when the time signals will, no doubt, -at once bo transmitted. It was the intention that tile _ Aurora should embark the whole of Dr Mawson « main party, with their various collections, at Commonwealth Bay, in Adelie Land, and then- proceed 1200 miles westward. exploring the Antarctic coastline, on the way to pick up the second.division of Dr Mawson’s (Mr Frank Hilda) party, at Termination Glacier. “It is hoped that tho whole party will return on the Aurora to Hobart some Unto next March. If the wireless plant continues now to work satisfactorily further details may, no doubt, bo expected gome considerable time before the actual return of the ship- The public may expect to hear of the return of tho Terra Nova, with Captain Scott’s party, to New Zealand also come time next March. “When last heard of. Captain Scott s parly was within about 170 miles of the South Pole. They had no special further difficulties to overcome beyond tho hardship of tho bitter wind at that high altitude of about 10,500 ft above the sen. In all probability they reached the hoath Pole on or about January 15th or January 16th —s(bout a month Uater than Captain Amundsen. Subsequent to their return 1 to headquarters, and during - the summer of this year, they will probably have devoted their attention, chiefly to exploring the eastern coastline of the Great Ice Barrier.”