FURTHEST SOUTH.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 67, 12 December 1907, Page 7

FURTHEST SOUTH.

NIMROD POLAR EXPEDITION. INTERVIEW WITH LIEUTENANT '. , SHACKLETON. (FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT. On board s.s. Maheno, t Decomber 11, 1907. 1 This afternoon a of this 1 journal' had an interview with Lieutenant Shacldcton, who is travelling from Australia in this boat. , ! ; ' "First of all, as to tho matter of funds," ! said Lioutonant Shackloton. "Wo really do need thoso badly—some £4500. Wo aro approaching the ■ Australian Government, and hope to get some help also from the Molbourno ■ and Sydney committees, but wo want.' New Zealand to lond a hand too. Everywhere wo get words of welcome and oncouragement, but thero is a considerable difforonce between cash and conversation. We can't carry out somo parts of our scientific work at all \yithout more monoy. For tho expedition commanded by Dr. Charcot tlio French Government has given £24,000, but for our expedition the British Government has dono nothing at all. Some newspapers havo stated that this £24,000 has 1 been given .to the Nimrod expedition; suchis not tho case. [ "It has also been stated," continued Lieutenant Shackloton, " that tho Koonya is to tow us down to tho ice. This is really ' not definitely settled yet, though liegotia- ' tions were opened with tho Koonya. I am certainly anxious to got a steamer to tow ■ tho Nimrod to tho pack-ice, if it can possibly bo arranged satisfactorily." Speaking of tho Nimrod's movements next year, Lieutenant Shackloton said that the vessol would return to Lyttolton first, aftor depositing the party on the ice, about next April. She would then go on a magnetic survey, first to Sydney, then Melboumo, Adelaide, Fromantlo, across to Colombo, then to Aden, then down the Mozambique Channol, and back to Now Zealand in December, 1908. Thence the vessel would pro- " coed to tho Antarctic region, pick 'up the 1 expedition party, and return to New ZeaI land 1 . Aftor this'sho would proceed to Melbourne and and then Home. _ Professor David, of Sydney University, ' will accompany the expedition, with his assistant (Mr. Cotton), part of the time; Mr. ► Douglas Mawson, of Adelaide*, for time, nnd Mr. Armitago was also goinc lis woneral sledger. That increased the shore staff to fourteen permanently. Thero would bo thirty-eight in tho ship altogether when sho left Lyttelton, including those roturn- ' ing to Now Zealand in April. All tho men 1 had been very carefully picked, and no bet- ' tor crew had ever beon got together. In tho ovoning Lieutenant Shackloton 1 gavo a vory interesting lecturo in tho saloon. 1 A short account of tho Discovory's oxpedi- ■ tion' was given, and tho difference between >■ this and the Nimrod's' expedition demon- : strated bv moans of a chart. Samples' of : tho clothing to bo worn woro also shown, " and tho Union Jack which Lieutenant Shackloton hoped to put on tho South Polo. 1 A lioarty voto of thanks was passed to the I lecturer. '