RESEARCD IN THE ANTARCTIC

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume LIV, Issue 6721, 21 July 1931, Page 1

RESEARCD IN THE ANTARCTIC

KKTiUIvN OiF DISCOVERY 11. The Royal 'Research ship Discovery .11, arrived at St. Katherine Dock on Frit'ay, says the London "Times" ol 11 lb. Jane, after a successful maiden commission in the South Atlantic and Antarctic. fcke hay surveyed many areas, including most notably the Sandwich Islands, -which have not been surveyed since Captain Co; k and Admiral von Bellinghausen explored them. Running- surveys have also been made of Bouvet Island, the South Shetlands, and South Orkneys. Built expressly for research in southern wafers, Discovery 11. is specially strengthened for ice navigation and can steam over D,(iOD miles without refuelling. «She proved in every way perfectly adapted for the work. The investigations in which she was chiefly concerned were under taken in the interests of the great whaling industry of the Falkland Islands Dependencies. They constitute it is claimed, the greatest British effort for the advancement of oceanic research since the expedition of H.M. S. Challenger. TH'E WHAMNG INDUSTRY. Fears have long been felt that southern whaling operations would reduce the stock of whales to such a joint that the industry would be extinguished, and with the large additons which have recently been made o the whaiing fleet these fears have jecn intensified. The present setback to the industry, due mainly to iver-produelion, will afford a much leeded breathing space next season;

and if this is wisely u?ed in the de- ; velopment of a rational treatment of whaling, it should lead to a renewal of industry on a scale which will en- . suie its permanence. , ' In whaling- investigations < the Work' I ordinated scheme, in which her consort, the William Scoresby, also specially built, and a Marine Biological Station erected at South Georgia part icipate. The ships are engaged mainj ly in the study of conditions at sea, j 'comparing one area with another and' one season with another, in an endeav ' .our to find out reasons for the conicentration of whales in certain parts of the Antarctic and for the large! ! seasonal variations in their distribut-1 I ion and abundance. It is hoped that i i finally some evidence of the effects of j i intensive whaling may be forthcoming The work was carried on under the scientific leadership of Dr. S. Kemp, j F.R.S., with Commander W. M: Carey ; R.N. (reld.) in executive command, j I The surveys were nearly all made by the navigating officer, Lieutenant A. L. Nelson, R.N.R.