UNKNOWN OCEAN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 183, 4 August 1932, Page 7

UNKNOWN OCEAN.

Expedition to Chart Arabian Sea, LITTLE-EXPLORED REGION. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 9.30 a.m.) RUGBY, August 3. A scientific expedition to survey the Arabian Sea and the north-west Indian Ocean is being' organised and will begin its operations next year. The expenses are being largely provided under the will of the late Sir John Murray, whose researches during the Challenger expedition last century immensely extended scientific knowledge regarding the oceans of the world.

Next year's expedition is to be led by Colonel Seymour Sewell, director of the Indian Museum, Calcutta. Parts of the Arabian Sea are of immense depth, though few soundings have been taken away from the steamship routes.

The main objects of the expedition will be to study the topography of the ocean bottom by echo soundings and to search for traces of the hypothetical continent of Learnaria, supposed to have stretched from India westwards.

Oceanic fauna and currents also will be studied. The committee arranging the expedition includes Admiral, Douglas, hydrographer of the navy and a representative of the Geographical and Natural History Societies under the chairmanship of Mr. J. C. Murray.

DIPLOMAT DEAD.

SIR ALAN JOHNSTONE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received 0.30 a.m.) RUGBY, August 3. Sir Alan Johnstone, for 38 years a member of the British diplomatic service and a noted sportsman, died in London on July 31, after an operation, aged 73. He leaves a widow and an only son. Mr. Harcourt Johnstone, member of the House of Commons for South Shields and assistant Whip to the National Government.

NO REPRIEVE.

MOXLEY TO BE EXECUTED

SYDNEY, August 3.

William Moxley, who is under sentence of death for the murder of Frank Wilkinson and Dorothy Denzel, at Liverpool, is to be hanged on August 17. The Cabinet decided to-day that the law should take its course. The last execution in New South Wales was eight years ago.