TO ANTARCTICA.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLV, Issue 216, 19 September 1911, Page 6

TO ANTARCTICA.

THE MAWSON EXPEDITION.

WILL FLY OVER CREVASSES

NOVEL HOUSE OF BRICKETTES

Dr Mawson, who is to lead the Australian scientific expedition_to the Antarctic regions, arrived in Sydney the other day. / A novel feature in connection with the Mawson expedition will be the shipment of forty-five tons of compressed coal, as used in British submarines. This coal is being shipped in the form of .briekettes. When the party lands in Antarctica it will build its house of these brickettes, and demolish it as the fuel is required. "Some Australians still don't seem to know," said Dr Mawson to a Sydney Morning Herald" representative, "that we are not making a dash for the Pole. Captain Scott is to uphold the honor .of the British Empire in that respect. Our work first and foremost is geographical. We are going to chart 2500 miles of unknown coastline—to discover harbors! arid so forth, so. that they; can be readily visited from Australia. 'We don't intend to go, very far inland. The interesting belt is that within 100 or 200 miles of the coast. Our journeys will be mostly dog-sledging along the coast. . There will be fifty-two. mcii altogether in the exp^edition.--Twenty-' five will b© permanently attached to. the Aurora, and twenty r seven will be landed in three parties along the coast, at intervals of about 100 miles. The vessel is now on her way to Australia, and will arrive at Hobatt about the end of October. She will laud the dogs and general cargo at Hobart, and then visit Sydney." THE AURORA. - Dr Mawson is very proud of his little vessel the Aurora, of which he spoke in the following terms:—"The little vessel Aurora is one of the finest of her class. She carries about 650 tons of cargo, and is practically a sister ship of the Terra Nova, now under commission iby Captain Scott in Antarctic work.\ Her master is Captain J. Davis, who commanded

the Niinrod. Th© Aurora is a roomy vessel, quit© different from the Nimrod, which carried Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition. His party was handicapped severely through insufficient room. With the Aurora I believe Shackleton would have reached the Pole. So cramped were the conditions that from that cause alone he lost several ponies." _ Another thing Dr Mawson is proud of is his combined aeroplane and motor sledge. Speaking of it, he said: "I have obtained a combined 89roplane and motor sledge. In half ian hour it can be converted from a flying machine to a sledge, and vice veirsa. It is the heaviest but the best monoplane made. Its construction is of nickel steel, and it is of the make that seems most likely to he adopted' by the British army. I will give demonstrations of it during my stay in Australia, and you may look forward to seeing it flying in Sydney. Such demonstrations should be of some value to our own military authorities. Lieutenant H. E. Watkins, of the Essex Regiment, who is an airman of proved capacity, will be in charge of the aeroplane, which is capable of carrying a passenger and considerable gear. In the ice regions we will use it more for sledging purposes than flying. I don't suppose we will fly for more than 100 miles at a time from.a base. It will come in very useful. If, for instance, we were on floe ice, and a break-off occurred, we could fly ashore. ■ And- it will enable us. to travel with safety over unsafe surfaces. At any time we will be able to fly over heavily^erevassed ice,, which would be impossible under other conditions. ... With ease we should be able to travel distances of twenty or thirty miles in relays, and take several tons of stuff with us." . THE EQUIPMENT. * As to the, objects of the expedition, Dr Mawson said: "The part of the land holding forth most prospects is that nearest Australia.' To that part my attenti6n will be particularly directed. Australia- has a chance, by the agency of'exploration, to lay claim to a large portion of this territory. My object is to proceed to this coastline most adjacent to Aus- ] tralia, make charts and plans of its j boundaries, and collect scientific data." Dr Mawson laid emphasis on his superior equipment compared wi£h previous expeditions.. "Our party will -be betteri equipped * than any others which -has set out. It is a scientific expedition, fathered backed by tfie Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science. Everything is solid and of the very best." Australia will reap an advantage from the expedition, Dr Mawson says. To^ quote his own words: "I am convinced that this exploration is going to be of permanent advantage to Australia. It will, moreover, afford tho world an opportunity of seeing what Australians can do. The project is well founded and well set out. I feel confident that the residents of the Commonwealth will not allow it to languish for want of funds. It is a big project, which has had the effect of bringing Australia prominently be- j fore European countries. It presents Australia in a new light. Australia gains the prestige of being strong enough to investigate and claim new •territory." . The Mawson expedition will leave Hobart for the ice regions about December Ist. The aeroplane will be landed, in Adelaide on Saturday week. There the first flights in Australia will be made.