FOR THE ROSS SEA

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 107, 2 November 1923, Page 7

FOR THE ROSS SEA

A, FLEET OF WHALERS

AUCKLAND. TO BE THE BASE.

(BI TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

AUCKLAND, This Da T Two whalers, the Star I: and Star*ll which, with three other vessels of-the same class, are to seek their quarry "in" Ross Sea, arrived last night with the Star. 888. They put out from Seattle" 40 days ago. Although they had some bad weather, they arrived in good trim. They are not built to withstand ic c pressure, and they will leave the fishing grounds before the ice comes. Their speed is ten knots. Each carries a crew of twelve. They were purchased by the Hvalfangst Rosshavet Company. Norway, from tha United States Whaling Company, and are to ba joined by two other steam whalers, and a parent steamer of 14,000 tons, for the Ross Sea adventure. Tha parent ship will carry sufficient coal to supply all five whalers during a seaW of probably about three months in the Ross Sea, and carries a complete' plant for rendering-down blubber. She will have a cargo capacity for 65,000 barrels of oil. The greatest problem in navigation of the Pacific was that of coal supply. None of the vessels has bunker space for more than fourteen days' fuel, but they left with as much additional coal as could be carried with safety on the deck of Star 11. It is reported that when she sailed', out of Seattle her afterdeck was nearly awash owing to the coal loaded upon her. The first port, Honolulu, was made in twelve days; Tahiti was reached in eleven days. The voyage from Tahiti to Auckland also took eleven days. The crew were surprised to learn that the shores of the Ross Sea are now a dependency of New Zealand. Auckland will be the base of operations, but, although they anticipate that they will be driven out of the Ross Sea by the ice about the end,, of March, they do"'not yet know how many months'each'year will be spent- here. It is possible that during the off season the parent ship may make a voyaze to America to dispose of the oil obtained.