STORES FOR THE TERRA NOVA.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13876, 29 October 1910, Page 8

STORES FOR THE TERRA NOVA.

An Antarctic expedition travels, like an army, on jits stomach, with this difference tl.rjt an army may be able to procure the [necessary food from.the country through which it marches, whereas it, is quite certain that an Antarctic expedition j cannot do so, except in the way of penguins and seals, and these are available only as Jong ns it is at its base. For ordinary food it depends solely on what it takes with it, and food in the Antarctic is a matter of very serious importance. To the average threc-meals-a-day man one of the most pathetic passages in any story of exploration is that in which Sir Ernest Shaekleton describes the imaginary menus that he and tho other members of the "furthest south" party used to draw up, while they were making forced marches, under the most trying conditions, on daily rations that might, at a pinch, serve an ordinary man for a light lunch. The quantity of food on tho Terra Nova sounds enormous, but when it is remembered that it will have to supply tho requirements of a largo number of men for nearly two

years, the temptation is not to exclaim at tho amount, but to ask if it is enough. Anyone who feels doubts on this point cannot do better than to contribute something to add to the store, or some money to tho funds of the expedition. Probably no scientific exploring expedition ever started on its mission with every conceivable want supplied; certainly no Antarctic expedition has done so up to the present, and it would be gratifying to Captain Scott and to the community if he could assure us before leaving Lyttelton that he had got everything he needed. From tlie list of contributions Mr Kinsey supplied to our representative yesterday, it will no seen that New Zealand is doing !ts share to stock the Terra Nova and te ensure that tho members of the expedition shall not go hungry if the Dominion can help it. We say "doing" its share advisedly, however, for it has not yet done all it should. Hawke's Bay, with a contribution of 30001b (,f butter, set an example which wo should like to see every province in NorZealand emulate. Canterbury has not done at all badly so far, somo generous contributions having been made by local firms, but we hopo to hear of further donations in kind or in money from this district. Other cities would be glad of th© distinction of being the expedition's New Zealand base, and since the privilege is ours, it behoves us to show in a practical way that vro appreciate it.