POLAR EXPLORATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2983, 17 May 1911, Page 30

POLAR EXPLORATION.

CAPTAIN SCOTT'S EXPEDITION. LONDON, May 9. Sir Edgar Speyer and Sir Clements Mark-ham in a letter to a newspaper state that Captain Scott is still in urgent need of from £BOOO to £IO,OOO. They claim that he is entitled, as the founder of Antarctic land exploration, to the first laim on public support. DR MAWSON 7 !" EXPEDITION. LONDON, May 9. The Daily Mail states that £6OOO has been subscribed in response to Sir E. Shackleton's appeal on behalf of the Mawson expedition. The donors include Mr Samuel Hordern, £2500; Mr Eugene Sandow, Lord Strathcona, and an anonymous Melbourne resident, £IOOO each. A New Zealander has given £IOOO to the Mawson fund. May 10. Sir E. Shackleton, in response to his appeal, has been promised valuable supplies for Dr Mawson's equipment. A West Australian has contributed £IOOO, and Madame Melba- £IOO, making' the total from Sir E. Sliackleton's appeal £9OOO to date.

Lieutenant Heigh Watkins, of tlie Essex Regiment, will Be the pilot for Dr Mawson's monoplane, which is being manufactured at Messrs Vickers, Maxim's works. It will have a screen to protect thi pilot and passengers from the cold. The monoplane is to be employed in mapping and surveying. Sufficient petrol will be taken for a single flight to the Pole and the return to the southernmost depot, the estimated distance being 250 miles. May 11. Mr W. A. Horn, of Adelaide, who is visiting London, has contributed £IOOO to - the Mawson expedition. May 12. The Daily Mail states that Sir E. Shackleton's appeal on behalf of Dr Mawson's expadition proved an immense success. Dr MawsonV ship leaves tin Thames at the end of June. He goes to Melbourne, thence to Hobarl, which will bo the final port of departure.

MELBOURNE, May 10. The Federal Cabinet has decided that the request for a grant of £20,000 for Dr Mawson's expedition must be left to Parliament to decide. THE JAPANESE EXPEDITION. SYDNEY, May 13. The Japanese explorers intend to leave for Antarctica in three months' time. May 15. It transpires that the commander of the Japanese Antarctic .expedition has returned to Japan to furnish the Government with the causes of his failure.

A member of the party stated that they realised that the vessel was not fitted for Polar exploration. They expect that as a result of the commander's report they will be recalled to Japan in a few weeks. He added that the party were not thoroughly seized with the conditions they would have to encounter in the Antarctic, and that they will be better prepared next time. The members of the Japanese expedition are camped in the vicinity of the South Head fortifications. The newspapers suggest the possibility of the men being spies, and object to the camp near the fort. It is stated that extra sentries have been placed at the approaches to the military reserve.