RESEARCH WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 3, 5 January 1938, Page 9

RESEARCH WORK.

DISCOVERY 11. ON WAY.

WILL CALL AT DUNEDIN.

TWO YEARS IN ANTARCTIC.

(From Our Correspondent.)

Dl XEDIX. Tuesday,

The Royal research ship Discovery TT.. on her way to the Antarctic to continue the research work begun during her visit to those waters two years ago. will call at Dunedin to refuel. A wireless message was received by the I -Sew Zealand Shipping Company to-day stating that the vessel expects to arrive at Dunedin on February 1 and will be here until February 8. The vessel left London on October 7 last oil her fifth commission. During the next two years it is intended to circumnavigate the. Antarctic Continent, so that a study may be made of conditions of life in that area. For the past l.i years the Discovery Committee lias been engaged in conducting an examination into economic resources of the 1* alkland Islands dependencies, which consist, apart from some trawling grounds around the islands, of whales! I o a great extent studies have been confined to the characteristics of these mammals.

' l'ree vessels have been employed. The Discovery, originally constructed for the Xational Antarctic Expedition of 11101 -():{, was used on the first voyage. but was then chartered by tiie Australian Government, and was replaced by the Discovery 11., of 1030 tons, which was specially designed for oceatiograpliic research. A smaller vessel. the William Scoresbv, which recently sailed oil her seventh commission, was built for chasing and marking whales, as well as for trawling and assisting in the general scientific programme.

The Discovery 11. visited Dunedin on lier last voyage to the Antarctic, arriving here 011 December :il. 1 !>:{."). t<> refuel, and sailing again on .January 2, 103(1. Her major mission on leaving here was to search for Mr. Lincoln Ellsworth and his pilot. ]\lr. Hollick Kenyon, who were, forced down while flying across Antarctica, and were later found at the Bay of Whales.