COMMERCIAL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXV, Issue 60, 13 March 1913, Page 6

COMMERCIAL.

LONDON WOOL SALES. {By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (United Press Association.) (Received noon.) London, March 12. The wool sales were animated for all sorts and prices are unchanged.

THE TERRA NOVA.

HER HOMEWARD VOYAGE

(Por Press Association.)

Christchurch, March 12

At daybreak to-morrow morning the Terra Nova will sail from Lyttelton, homeward bound, via Magellan Straits and Rio de Janiero to Cardiff, which will be her first port of call in the Homeland, in accordance with a promise made when the little ship started out on her three years’ voyage in 1910.

Lieutenant H. L. L. Pennell, R.X., says that the Terra Nova will proceed on a great circle track between Lyttelton and Magellan Straits, taking her on the parallel of 59 degrees south. This will carry her close past the Bounty Islands in 47 degrees 4.4 minutes south latitude, and 179 degrees 7 minutes east longitude, and also close past the supposed position of the Nimrod group. It is hoped, if the weather conditions are favourable, to take a «erie§ of soundings after clearing Bounty Islands, with the object of determining the edge of the “Continental Shelf.” If possible, soundings will* be taken near the given position of the Nimrod Group, and it is also intended to run about 15 miles northward of the reported position of the Dougherty Island in the Southern Ocean, sounding again as opportunity offers and the weather permits. Special interest attaches to this part of the Terra Nova’s voyage, as she will be recording water temperatures and taking samples of water for the purpose of ascertaining whether it contains plankton (minute organisms), which forms the food of fishes and other sea life. Plankton subsists on diatoms (a minute floating vegetable life), which depends for its existence in turn on tho salts in the water. Analysis of these samples of water will be made for the purpose of tracing the movements of animal and vegetable life in tho seas; which also depend on the movements of the water, the conditions under which plankton and diatons exist, with temperatures and solidity of the water. The existence of the Nimrod Group and Dougherty Island since they were first reported has been regarded as doubtful. The position of the Nimrod Group is given as 57 degrees south latitude, 157 degrees 30 minutes west longitude, while Dougherty Island is supposed to bo in about 50 degrees south latitude, and about 119-120 degrees west longitude. On the homeward passage of the Nimrod (Shackleton’s expedition) in 1909, search was made for both of these islands without success. As opportunity offers it is proposed to do some trawling and to take some “water bottle” stations. Mr. Nelson, one of the biologists, explains that a speciallyfitted bottle, with a thermometer attached, for aenrately testing tho water in varying latitudes and depths will afford valuable data for the study of tbo higher forms of sea life, including fishes and whales, and .would be of great economic value.