ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXIX, Issue 55, 21 February 1913, Page 6

ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

MEMBERS' ITINERARY. j PREPARATIONS FOIt DEPARTURE j CHRISTCH URCH, Feb. 18. Members of the British Anturtcic expedition are at present busily engaged m making-preparations for their early departure tor England. Mr Francis Drake, secretary vol the expedition, will leave on Thursday by the Moenun f.»i" Sydney, wiiere lie Cviii join uio Otra'ito for loulon and London. He will probably. be accompanied by Lieutenant V. Campbell, R.N. Commander Evans, R.N., will leave for Wellington next Tuesday to meet i-Virs Scott, will arrive in Wellington from San Francisco by the Aoratigi on Thursday, February 27. Lieutenant W. M. Bruce, 1{ N.K., a brother ot Mr? seott, uiU also go' North next Thursday night to meet his sister at Wellington. Mrs Scott and Lieutenant Bruce will go to Sydney to ioin the P. and 0. steamer Mediua for England. Commander Evans and Mrs Evans will leave next week for Sydney to join the Otranto for London. Dr Atkinson, Lieutenant Gran, and Messrs Wright, Priestly, Debenham, Cherry, and Garrard will also travel to England by mail steamers. Commander Evans, R.N., infqrmed a reporter to-day that arrangements for the homeward passage of the Terra Nova had practiu'ly been completed. The vessel will J)e. drv-dockecl shortly for refitting, cleaning, and painting, and, after taking in coal supplies, she will sail from Lyttelton for England on March 15. She will leave with about 500 tons of coal on board, and will proceed on the great circle track from Lyttelton to Magellan Strait, 'ind will make a call at Punta Arenas iA the Strait. Thence she will go to Cardiff. According to the programme mapped out, the Terra Nova, will leave Punta Arenas on April 26, Rio de Janeiro on May 2a, and she is expected to arrive at Cardiff on July 12. lhe above dates are approximate only, and if she. is ready in time, the Terra Nova will sail from Lyttelton on fin earlier date than March 15. She will proceed under steam and sail, and it is possible that she will improve on the dates mentionI ed on her homeward passage if the weather conditions are favorable. The programme has been arranged on a spewl allowance of 120 miles per day. 'lhe distances are approximately, Lyttelton to Straits of .Magellan, 4680 miles; Punta Arenas to Rio de Janeiro to Cardiff, 5680 miles; total, 12,510 miles, and the time allowed for the passage -is 89 days. The object is to get the Terra Nova to England as quickly as possible; but, if the opportunity offers, soundings will be made and dredgings for forms of sea life will be taken on the passagd. Lieutenant H. L. L, Pennell, R.N., will be in command of the Terra Nova, with ! Lieutenant H. E. de P. Renwish, R.N., | second in command. Mr A. Cheetbam I will act as second mate f and Messrs G. j Nelson and D. G. Lillie, biologists to | the expedition, will travel home in the j Terra Nova. Mr W. Williams, R.N., } will continue as chief engineer, and Mr I W. Horton, R.N., as second engineer. | All the Royal Navy men in the crew ! and most of the merchant service seaI men at present on board will go to England in the Terra Nova.