STACKHOUSE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2114, 3 April 1914, Page 3

STACKHOUSE ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

PURPOSES & PLANS. TO START FROM LONDON BRIDGE ■ \ The main purpose of the British Antarctic Expedition, 1914, which is being organised by Mr. J. Foster Stackhouse, E.R.G.S., is to determine the' coast line of King Edward VII. Land on one sido of the Antarctic circle and Graham Land on the other. Between .theso two sections of discovered lancl stretches a vast and practically unexplored region.. Is this intervening spaco land or sea forming a s strait which separates King Edward VII ,La;uii from Graham Land? Is King Ivdward VJI Land part _of the great Antarctic com tinent, or is it merely a small island W group of islands set in th& frozen sea P ; These are the two main problems that tho expedition will endeavour to '^olvo .The existence of Graham Land, and ol Coats Land, Enderby Land, aftd Ivemp Land on tho Atlantic border of th? Great Ico Barrier, as well as tlio disc©v» ory of land south of a Email bay 77deg 48min. soutli and 34deg. west by Lieutenant Filchner in.tho Geriflau Bxpedi' tion of 1911, support tho continental .theory.. On the other hand; the. .great area of pack ice massed on the nor til .and west coasts of King Edward VII ,Land points, Mr. Stackhousej suggestSj .to tlio drift of the ice northward ftom tho Weddell Sea to the Ross Seiji presumably through a straight separating King Edward VII Land from Graham Land. In exploring this region, Mr. .otaekhouso stated "recently, ilio opera, tions of the expedition will be carried ;on in the most southerly of British possessions, for tho wliolo region* !)etw:ocu meridian 20deg. west and the jnerrd : ia.ft /80deg. west is . British temtorj. the" information which they will be able to obtain as to harbours,whaliiig. stations, and sealing grounds' will ig, ©f gr.eat scrvice to the .whaling industry of tho Falkland Islands.

Arrangements for the Departure. Arrangements are being mado for the. expedition to leave London on SatttrAugust 1, in tho Discovery, 'Cap* tani Scoti's old ship. Tho Discover? is now lying in the South-West I Dock, where she will bo thdiAUg.lijy r<J- ; fitted/' It is hoped that she'mulfe' &bi's ; *0 start _ from London Bridge,, st) that the public may have an oppprtuiii% of S lr . u ?S,t'h® expedition a. thoroughly I B " tlsK "send-off." The officers aiidcrftw" I will number 25. There will be iii addition fivo scientists ia£fcac.hed to tho expedition, and'several of tho ship's officers will also : . undertake jscfefttifie observations; Mr.-Stackhouse frag m&de a number of appointments to j ; i.s ;na.v.i> gating and scientific ■ staff.. Lieutenant A; E. Harbord, R.N., who lias been lent by tho Admiralty, will ctim.msncl. tho Discovery. The first officer wili/fce Licitteliant Richard 11. Garstm, of tho Royal Indian Marine, survcyi.-ri g Ijeii'i e.t> ant in. the Northbrook. The ira-yigMirict officer will v be Lieutenant R, Beatty, of tho 6amo service. These h'ppdintment-5 are subject to the approval of the Director of the Royal Indiaa • Marine* : Chief.Petty Officer ■ Tom Green,, ivlio-■ sailed with Scott in tho Discovery land • tho Terra Nova, .will probably bo tlie Several members of tlio, scientific staff have already - befcji appointed. These include Lor& Conglefcon, of tho Grenadier Guards, who is a fully qualified surveyor. Tlie faster of bempil], only son of Lord Seriipifl,. will be in charge of the Meteorological cic* partment, the electrical plaiitj and ffe motor-boat and aeroplane eiigiiies. The ' Master of Sempill is &• ifrsfccTa : s.s mechanic, who has served two year? in a largo motor-car works has been his. hobby. Another ©ffice'r .ent by the Admiralty is Captain A. SUantrell, R.M.A., who will act ; as surveyor. Mr. "\V. H. Stewart Gariratt-, an expert cki-er and a qualified ifrajrine efr* gnicer, and Mr. D. Hccfcor Pearson., aw officer 111 the Essex !wiil : a.l'sd ' join the staff as surveyors. _ Mr. Stackhouso will join the. sMp 1 at ■ Oapo Town, but in order to save ex- ■ pense all the officers and other j of the expedition will sail in the Discovery from London. Moreover, all the emcers and scientists wilL give' their services gratuitously. The espsditioii will bo away for three or feuT years, ihe estimated cost is" £25,000, and for that sum Mr. Stackhouso relies entirely upon public subscriptions.

The Journey to the Antarctic. From Capo Town, where ihe'stfentihe instruments will bo fia.illy tested, the Disco very., will sail to the Falkland islands, a distance of about oQGO miles Deep-sea soundings, which will have considerable liydrographical value, will be taken m these little frequented Seas, Oil the _way the Discovery will" visit Bonvet Island. She'ivill also visit the sandwich group and ascertain tile adtual number of islands contained in. 'it, Owing: to there is great difficulty in landing, arid onjjf oho: of tifr islands m this British possession has yet been visited. After touching, at. couth Georgia, the exact position of the bbag Hocks will bo determined. Tlio 1? aiklaiid Islands will be reached about December 1, 1915, and after taking in extra stores the Discovery will Set sail tor the Antarctic. A' party, of about c n i landed on the eastern coast Or Uraham Lpnd, where ilicy will remain for 12 or 14 months* They will nave with them an aeroplane for photographic survey work. After landing the party the Discovery will proceed south and cast, hugging the wast as MUicJi as the ice will and a ir'uflnmg survey will be made, if the meridian 20 deg. west is reached, the. Discovery will then return.and Winter, not later than I'ebruary 14, 1916) at'-a point about midway between Coats Land <uid Graham Land. In the spring sludge parties will be sent out in all directions to discover any existing laud and trace the coastline. The Discovery will return to Graham Land in December, 1916, and pick ii.D the party left there. She will thou sail for Deception Island, a *vhalliig station, to repro vision and to send. Some mails. ,-Slio will then proceed aiofrj2 the west coast of Graham -Land.' p,ftst ; Charcot Land, and go into winter quarters* before February 15, 1916. During that autumn sledge parties frill explore tho region between Graham a:ncl King Edward VII Land, and endeavour to -determine the cotv.st-litto. In tho spring a sledge party will lie :»mt over the ice to King Edward VII Land and about December, 1916, the Discovery will said round to- tlio Hay of Whales to meet them. Tlio will then proceed to New. Zealand, take soundings iu the less frequented sens of tho Pacific, and return luiiim b.V »ay of tho Panama Canal., It is expected that the expedition will rttacth Loudon in August or September. <1917.