THE SOUTH POLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13873, 6 October 1908, Page 5

THE SOUTH POLE.

PREPARING THE NIMROD. | [BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] , !' CiißisrcHtTßfnr, Monday. | The British Antarctic expedition ship Nimj rod has for some lime past been undergoing | a thorough overhaul in view of her. early | departure from Lytttjltoii to bring back ! Lieutenant Shackle-ton.', and his colleagues from the Far South. The foredeck has I been sheathed with 2£in timber, which will ! serve to stiffen that portion of the vessel | and insure everything being kept dry down below in the crew's quarters. It is ini tended to take down sufficient stores for. ! 38 men (the number including the whole of j the ship's' company and the shore party) for 12 months. Provisions were landed from the Nimrod at the beginning of this year to suffice the exploring contingents for two years. Supplies selected at Home by Mr. Reid, to the extent of 60 tons, are coming out by the Tongariro, in addition to to which considerable supplies will be procured in New Zealand. Some 300 tons of coal will also be taken down. The Nimrod will be placed in commission during the first week in November, and ie due to sail for the frozen south on December 1. Captain Evans, who is to take command, is at present in Sydney undergoing his R.N.R. training, as also is Mr. Macintosh, second officer. Both, with Dr. Michell, who is spending a holiday in New South Wales, are expected to return to Lyttelton during the course of the next three weeks, when the whole of the ship's company will assemble, and the finishing touches be applied to the preparations for the second southern journey. With' the exception that Captain Evans succeeds Captain England, the personnel of the officers remains unchanged the. crew is the same, save for two new hands, who have been chosen from numerous applicants. There are four new men in the engineer's department.