ANTARCTIC RESEARCH.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3294, 12 August 1911, Page 3

ANTARCTIC RESEARCH.

THE‘IV!AWSON EXPEDITION.

EXPLORING r»Y AEROPLANE

THE BENEFITS TO AUSTRALIA

Dr. Maw son, on his arrival at Adelaide from London, was interviewed ty a representative of the Sydney “Dany Telegraoh” regarding his proposed scientific expedition to the Antarctic, fie said: “I was late in bringing my project forward, and did not move in it until January last, when it was necessary for me to leave for England. My reason for delay was to allow Captain Scour to secure from) Australia all the money he could for his expedition, as I mink it is right that the man first in the field should be given a fair chance, ru will be of lasting benefit to the Empire if Captain Scott reaches the South Pole. My plans are very different to his. r shall not clash with him, as I am working on a different area, and from a different object. His aim is to secure the South Geographical Pole, and in his wisdom he has taken with him a specially qualified scientific staff, so as also to make observations in all branches of science. AURORA COMMISSIONED. “Before leaving for England I had an assurance of strong financial support from five of the leading citizens of Australia and the sympathy of members of the Federal Government. As I had not secured Government backing at the time of my arrival in England, when it was necessary to go forward with my plans. I was in rather a difficult position, and it was only through the powerful assistance of Sir George Reid, Lord Denman, Lord Northcliffe, Sir Ernest Shackleton, and Mr. W. A. Horn (formerly of South Australia) that I had delayed taking any definite steps in purchasing and equipping -a vessel, the time came when if longer deferred, the project would have had to be abandoned until next year, on account of the season. and. knowing that steps were being taken in Europe towards securing portions of this Antarctic continent for foreign nations, I felt I was doing right in stepping boldly forward in purchasing and equipping the Aurora. The little Aurora is on© of tlie finest of lior class. She carries about 650 tons of cargo was built in Dundee of teak wood and is practically a sister ship of the terra- Nova, now under commission by Captain Scott in Antarctic work. The Aurora is a roomy vessel, quite different from the size of the Nimrod, which carried Shackleton’s expedition. The success of that' party was partially paralysed through not 1 having sufficient room, a ship of the capacity of the Aurora I believe Shackleton would have reached the Pole—the cramped quarters on- board having been responsible for the death of several |mnies. DEPOT-LAYING. “After landing one party there, the ship will proceed west, making plans of the coastline. About 500 miles westward of the first depot it is intended to land a second and smaller party, with another hut, and to allow them to winter separately from the rest. The Aurora will then proceed further westward, with the hope of landing a tliird partv -another 500 miles from the second base. Thus, about 2500 miles by coastline will be divided into four sections by three depots, and sledging parties -will proceed east andd and west, and make surveys and geological and other scientific examinations. I expect to land with the first party, as ive will have the larger scientific programme to carry out there. “After dropping the third party, the ship, -coal permitting, will proceed further westward, and make additional investigations in Antarctic waters. When the coal is used up she must of necessity, proceed north to latitudes where tlie strong westerly winds will bring her to Australian waters, and we expect she will get to Fremantle early in April There she will load with coal, and not remain idle, but will he employed in taking systematic soundings, dredging, and other oeea-nograprical work of a zigzag course as far south as the ice will permit her to go. She is particularly well fitted out for this work. No ship has ever been in those waters with better equipment. The Aurora has been fitted out with scientific apparatus partly by the Admiralty, and largely by the Prince of Mpnarco, who is an enthusiast in oceanographical research. I spent a day with the latter in Paris, and he pointed out there is absolutely nothing known of the scientific conditions of the greater part of the Southern Ocean, and there is scarcely a sounding on reoord in reference to it. Wren on the Nimrod, we saw 50 miles of this new land, but it had not been landed on, and the conditions are probably different to those in the neighborhood of M'Murdo’s Sound, where the previous expeditious have wintered. “For sledging purposes, I intend to restrict myself to dogs, as sledging over sea-ice with ponies is not so safe. I have 50 dogs from the teams of Greenlaud, selected by the Danish Government.

AERIAL LOCOMOTION. “For exploratory work and for depotlaying, in the event of ,a good surface being met with, I have obtained a combined aeroplane and motor sledge. In half an hour this can he converted from a flying machine to a sledge, and vice versa. It is the heaviest but the best monoplane made, being constructed of nickel steel, and it is the make that seems most likely to be adopted by the British military authorities. I have left instructions for it to be sent on to Australia at an early date, so that demonstrations will be of value to our own defence officials. It would be no us© for me to take an -appliance of this kind if 'I were mot prepared at the same time to secure the services of a, tloroughly qualified aviator. This has been done, and Lieutenant H. E. Watkins, of the Essex Regiment, who has been flying for three years, and has taken up 300 passengers, is in charge of the aeroplane, which will carry a passenger in addition to the driver, and a good deal of gear. Lieutenant Watkins was described by Mr. GraliameWhite as being the ‘safest flier in England.’ Mrs Scott, wife of Captain Scott, is an enthusiast in aviation, and she arranged for both Lieutenant Watkins and the machine. ' AN AUSTRALIAN STAFF. “As I always intended, I have kept practically the whole of the positions on the staff free for appointments to be made by nomination by a special, committee of the Australian Association for the Advancement of Science. All these are to be Australians,, but I had to appoint five specialists—viz., the. aviator and a specialist in motor engines; Dr. Mortz (champion Swiss ice man, who has been spending , six weeks with the Prince of Monaco in the Mediterranean perfecting himself in dredging, sounding, and other deep-sea work); Mr Frank Wild (an expert sledg’er, who was a member of both the Scott and Shack! ©ton parties); and Lieutenant B E. S. Ninmis, of the Royal Fusiliers (specialist in field survey work and

sketching, as well as a specially good sledger). “I shall now' be busy up to the time of sailing in securing the co-operation of Australians in the work. I am convinced that this exploration is going to b© of permanent advantage to Australia, and it will afford the Avorld an advantage to Australia, and it will afford the world an opportunity of seeing what Australians can do. The project is well founded and well set up, and I feel confident that the people of the Commonwealth will not allow it to languish for want of funds when the conditions have been explained to them. In London I found the people most enthusiastic. This high-minded project has done much to- bring Australia prominently before the people of Europe. They are looking on the Commonweait-h in a new light, and it is a fresh idea to them that Australia is strong enough to investigate and claim new territory.” __