THE TERRA NOVA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 92, 9 October 1911, Page 5

THE TERRA NOVA.

COASTAL SURVEY WORK. By Telegraph—Press Association. Chri&tchurch, Last Night. The Terra Nova, the Britist Antarctic expedition ship, which has been engaged on coastal swrvey, arrived in Lyttelton about noon ito-day. The object of the cruise, the defining of the one hundred fathom line in the vicinity of North Cape and the Three Kings, was attained, 5155 absolutely fixed soundings having been taken. These have yet to be workea out, tout roughly they demonstrate the fact that the 100 fathom line, instead of continuing unbroken from off the mainland a - ound the outer North Island 1 , is divided by a. narrow deep channel between the most southerly point of the group and the mainland. It was afeo ascertained that configuration of the islands as shown on the chart is incorrect, and the configuration and position will be definitely fixed once the information collected by the ship has been plotted. Dredging was done and a good collection of plants was obtained. On the passage southward one or two deetp sea soundings were taken. Kaikoura was reached 1 at 3.30 a.m. on last Thursday, and the work of defining the 100' fathom line from the point some distance south of Kaikoura. where the Admiralty soundings ended was -begun. Three miles south of Kaikoura a depth of 500 fathoms was recorded, and about a mile from that sounding only 50 fathoms were found. The ship's soundings extended for thirty mile* along the coast northward, 40 being taken. The hands will be given leave on Tuesday for a fortnight, and after that there will he refitting to be done, ami stores will be shipped when they arrive from England. A hut for the Antarctic will be taken on board. The Terra Nova will leave 'Lyttelton for the expedition's base at McMurdo Sound on December 15.