AUSTRALASIAN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Evening Star, Issue 14635, 3 August 1911, Page 4

AUSTRALASIAN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

DR MAWSON’S PLANS. BRITISH GOVERNMENT GRANT. [Feo:.i Oue Special CoßKEsrouDENt.] LONDON, June 23. Dr Douglas Mawson loft England a few days ago for Paris, on route for Australia. On his"way through Paris ho will call on tho Prince of Monaco for advice as to the arrangements for providing the Australasian Antarctic Expedition with deepsea dredging gear. The Prince has taken the greatest"interest in the expedition, and for some time past a member of Dr Mawson's scientific staff has been undergoing training in the oceanographical laboratory at Monaco under Dr Richards, as well as ou board the Prince’s famous xact. Questioned prior to his departure as to the results of his visit to England. Dr Mawson expressed warm appreciation and gratitude for tho sympathy and support which his project had called forth. “ Practically without exception,” he said, “ people, all round have met mo in the friendliest manner and given very helpful consideration to the plans for the expedition. During the three or four months I have been here tho work of organisation has made excellent progress, and. Earring accident*;, our departure from Australia for the Antarctic Continent before the end r.f the year is assured. Of course, we want more money. The C-ommonwealMi Government have returned encouraging replies to tho Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science, which is working on behalf of the expedition, and Air Fisher and other Commonwealth Ministers now in London are all supporters of the enterprise, but their presence here in connection with the Imperial Conference and the Coronation has involved some delay in the voting of a grunt by tho Commonwealth Parliament. —Gc iie ro us Donations. “ I feel deeply indebted to the- many friends in this country who have come forward with generous contributions. Sir George Reid has been an especially good friend. Ac number of business firms have come forward with gifts in the way of provisions, eic., while the subscriptions in money, received or definitely promised, include £2,500 from Air Samuel Hordern, a thousand guineas from Air Eugene Sundew, and £I.OOO each from Lord Strath conn, Mr Roderick Murchison. Air W. A. Horn, Air R. Harr Smith, Mr Hugh Denison, and Mr Hugh Dixon. Largo, donations ha-xe also been received from many others, including Lord Denman. Lady Russell, Madame Melba. Air James Buchanan. Air Campbell 1). Ak’-ckcllar, and Air Lionel Robinson. Those are apart from donations of £I.OOO and £5.C00 from the Australasian .Association for the Advancement of Science and the Royal Geographical Society. And last, but not least, 1 have learned this week that I may hope for a grant from the British Government. “I have.” continued Dr Mawson, ‘‘.a letter informing me that tho Lords Commissioners of His Alajosty's Treasury have had their attention directed by Lord Donman to my appeal for funds, and that in view of the importance of the objects, both scientific and economic, which I hope to attain, they will be prepared to ask Parliament to vote a sum of £2.000 tor the expedition. —No Clashing with Scott.--

‘‘ I appreciate highly the grant of £SCO from the Royal Geological Society, which is substantial evidence of the society’s belief in the geographical value of the work contemplated. On that scare also abundant testimony was provided in the. speeches of those who took part in the discussion which followed my lecture before the Royal Geographical Society. I have every sympathy with the Dritish desire to reach the Month Role, but 1 was pleased at the way in which the speakers on that occasion united in approving of the idea of this expedition, the objects of which are confined to scientific in vesti.pitious mainly alone the unknown coastline running through a quarter of the Antarctic Circle. Incidentally I may state that my expedition does not- clash in any way with Ca-ptaiu Scott's. Our fields of work are quite different : he was fully informed of my plans before he started for the Antarctic. and the understanding established between ms was of the most cordial character. I refrained from m-iively pushing my proposals ti'l after he had got all the assistance, possible from Australia, and I very much appreciate the similar sympathy and support which have been accorded to me in the United Kingdom.'’ DR MAWSOXS SUIIA During his stqy in England Dr Mawson has purchased for his expedition the Dun-dee-built ship Aurora, which lias been serving for many yea is in the .Newfoundland sealing fleet. I‘once ruing this ship he had excellent reports from experts in Newfoundland, and those reports have beu sustained by Captain Davis, who commanded the Nimrod on her homeward voyage, and who will act a.s strip's captain for him. The Aurora arrived in the 'i Thames last week, and is now in dry dock. She. is a nice, roomy vessel of her class, only a little smaller than tho Terra Nova, anil when refitted ought to provide comfortable quarters on tho voyage south. There arc, of course, a good many alterations to be cflVctpd. New and improved accommodation has to bo provided both hie anil alt ; a couple of deckhouse* have lo lie erected, including a biological and a general laboratory ; and tho rigging of tho foremast must lie altered to that of a oarqueni ino. Cipta.ni Davis will ho in charge of !hi; work, and it is hoped that in a month or six weeks’ iimo the Aurora will he ready to sail for Australia. Through the kindness of the Danish Govcrmnont Dr Mawson is obtaining 60 (I reenland dogs, willed »re i expected to arrive about July 20. Tho i provisioning and ■equipment of the- expedition in other ways have already been bo- ! K'nt. THE FIRST ANTARCTIC AEROPLANE. There is being constructed for tho expeI ditiou by tho Vickers Company an acro- ! plane, one of the most jiowerful machines jof its kind ever made. Nickel steel is i being employed in its construction, to ;m unusually large extent, in view of tho special conditions to be encountered in the Antarctic regions, and tho machine is so designed that, it can rapidly bo converted into a motor sledge. Lieutenant Watkins, a well-lor own flyer at Rvookhinds. will accompany the expedition as aviator. Thor© is a lot to be done before, the Aurora gels away, but sho ought to reach Hobart in October. Tin to tho dogs will ho put | ashore, and the, ship proceed to visit Myd- | noy and Melbourne, where extra supplies i ami coal will bo obtained. Afterwards ! she will return to Hobart, aud Dr Mawson | hopes to make n start from there, in tho I latter port of November.

—" Tho Admiral and All HLs Crew.”— All told, the Aurora will have on board 52 men, of whom 27 will bo for the three landing parties it is hoped to establish. The principal members of the .-fcatf hailing from this side of the world will be, besides Lieutenant Watkins, Dr Mortz (a science doctor!, who was tho Swiss ski-jump champion in 1903, and who is a skilled mountaineer and ice expert ; Mr Frank Wild, who accompanied Sir Ernest Shackloton on the "farthest south” journey; and Lieutenant Ninnis, of the Royal Fusiliers. Most of tho staff will bo chosen in Australia. From Hobart the Aurora will rail south to meet the Antarctic continent as nearly as possible duo north of the South Magnetic I‘ole. There the mainland station will be established. Coast survey work will be pushed forward, and one party will sledge towards the Magnetic Pole, taking magnetic observations en route. A second party will be landed tribe west of Adclie Land. It is intended to land a third party still further west, in the vicinity of what is known as Kuos Land. If sufficient coal is left iu the ship’s bunkers, she will continue to steam westwards, making observations- of the coast-line, till forced by lack of fuel to return to Australia. Then, in the following season, she will go south again to pick up tho landing parties. This is an extensive programme, in some respects more comprehensive than that of other espeHtions-"engaged in-the work of Antarctic discovery- and research. Its execution depends on a variety of' circumstances, not least, the discovery of suitable harbors and landing places.