£20,000 FOR CAPTAIN SCOTT

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 320, 21 February 1910, Page 2

£20,000 FOR CAPTAIN SCOTT

EXPLORER DESCRIBES Ills PLANS. London, January 7. "This time next year/" said Captain Scott to me, "I expect to be in the region of tlie Great Ice Barrier" (writes tiie London correspondent of the Dunedin Star). At last it is definitely decided that Captain Scott's expedition will go vo the Antarctic. The question of the money required is solved. Furthermore, the expedition will be a national one, under the aegis of the Imperial Government. You will have heard by cable this week that the Asquith Government have granted £-20,000 towards the funds of the expedition. In giving me the news on Wednesday, Captain Scott made an interesting statement regarding the position of affairs to date. "The amount already subscribed (he said) is over £l/1,000. Adding the promised Government grant, we can now reckon on £31,000 out of the £40,000 for which. I originally asked the country. Owing to the public's present preoccupation with election matters, I have ceased for the present to make any organised attempt to get subscriptions. Meanwhile I personally am pushing on the work of preparation." The sum already subscribed will ensure the departure of the expedition ,•« July. Arrangements' are now being made for the supply of provisions and clothing. Mr. C. H. Meares is proceeding to Siberia on 16th January, bound for Vladivostok. He will go into the interior of Eastern Siberia to get the necessary 'ponies and dogs for the expedition. Arrangements have already j been made for shipping these via Kobe an 3 Adelaide to New Zealand. All the foodstuffs for these animals' are being collected. MOTOR SLEDGE TRIALS. "It has been definitely decided that the base of the expedition shall be Christchurch. A single motor sledge is in course of construction -by the WolseySiddeley Company, and will be ready in February. Trials will take place in Norway in my presence," Captain Scott stated. "I shall test the merits before ordering further sledges. Arrangements have been made for the purchase of other sledges and clothing in all of which will be inspected by me. It is too early yet to give a detailed list of the officers and crew, but it will be an all-British expedition! Arrangements are being pusiied forward for completing the scientific staff, and great care is l being exercised in the selection ! of efficient and fit men to occupy the various posts. The provision of the necessary scientific instruments is also the subject of particular care. Special ' attention will be devoted to thg choice of photographic apparatus and wireless telegraphy instruments. Various' modern developments will be made use of, so as to obtain the very best possible results from the expedition. HELP FROM OVERSEAS. "The expedition has now become a national undertaking," continued Captain Scott, "and there" s'houid be no difficulty in raising the remainder of the money by subscription. There remains j the Sum of £9OOO to be collected to realise the sum I asked for from this .country. I have always hoped that the I £40,000 would be a home contribution, land that we should supplement this by , special help trom the oversea There should be no difficulty, after this ] grant from the Home Government, in i raising £1)000. *n fact, there is projmif.'c that the £40.000 will be consider- : ably exceeded. It is satisfactory to I know that the money already raised is j sufficient to equip the ship for her voyage, and that she will certainly leave | London in July. After calling at CarI diff for coal, she will proceed south, via I the Cape and Australia and New Zeailand. We shall leave there early in [December. The Terra Nova is now I being overhauled. She is a good shipvery—just the s'ort we wanted."