THE TERRA NOVA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 251, 13 March 1913, Page 4

THE TERRA NOVA.

HER HOMEWARD VOYAGE* AX INTERESTING PROGRAMME. Christchurch, Last Night. At daybreak to-morrow morning the Terra Nova will sail from Lyttelton.. homeward bound, via Magellan Straits and Rio de Janiero to Cardiff, which will be her first port of call in the Homeland, in accordance with a promise made when the little ship started out. on her three years' voyage in 1910. Lieutenant H. L. L. Pennell, R.N., says that the Terra Nova will proceed on a great circle track between Lyttelton and Magellan Straits, taking her on theparallel of 5!) degrees south. This will carry her close past the Bounty Islands in 47 deg. 44 min. south latitude, 179 deg. 7 min. east longitude, and also closepast the supposed position of the Nimrod Group. It is hoped, if the weather conditions are favorable, to take a series #f loundings after clearing Bounty Islands, with the object of determining the edge of the "Continental Shelf." If possible, soundings will be taken near the given position of the Ximrod Group, and it is also intended to nm about 15 miles northward of the reported position of the Dougherty Island in the Southern Ocean, sounding again as opportunity offers and the weather permits. Special interest attaches to this part of the Terra Nova's voyage, as she will be recording water temperatures and taking samples of water for the purpose of ascertaining whether it eontains plankton (minute organisms), which forms the food of fishes, and other sea life. Plankton subsists- on diatoms (a minute floating vegetable life), which depends for its existence in tuni' on the salts in the water. Analysis of these samples of water will be mafle for the purpose of tracing the movements of animal and vegetable life in the seas, which also depend on- the movements of the water, the conditions under which plankton and diatons exist, with temperatures and solidity of the. water. The existence of the Nimrod Group and Dougherty Island since they were first reported has been regarded as doubtful. The position of the Nimrod Group is given as 37 deg. south, lat. 137 deg. 30 min. west longitude, while Dougherty Island is supposed to be in * about o!) deg. son tit lat., and about. 110120 deg. west long. On the homeward passage of the Nimrod (Shackleton's expedition) in 1909. search was made for both of these islands without success. As opportunity offers it is proposed to do some trawling and to take some "water bottle" stations. Mr. Nelson, one of the biologists, explains that a specially fitted bottle, with a thermometer attached, for accurately testing the water in varying latitudes and depths will afford valuable data for the study of the higher forms of sea life, including fishes and whales, and would he of great economic value.