ANTARCTICA

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 301, 13 May 1913, Page 5

ANTARCTICA

MAWSOX'S EXPEDITION. ' A CHATTY DESPATCH. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. Received 13, 12.30 a.m. Sydney, May 12. Dr. Mawson has wirelessed the'following message:—"Commonwealth Bay, Adclie Land,—The first number of thc'Adclie Land Blizzard, a monthly publication, has just been produced. This is the first real newspaper to employ a cable column published in Antarctica. It consists of 26 pages. Go far it has a circulation of seven copies. The editor is Dr. McLean, and he sends greetings to his contemporaries, and applies to be admitted as an honorary member of the Australian Journalists' Association. The wireless mast and plant are in good condition, although the Aurora and magnetic storms, in a line between here and the Macquarie Islands, often interfere with the transmission of messages. This month there has been slightly'less wind than in the corresponding month of 1!)12, although there have been some severe snowfalls, which practically snowed up the hut. Anyway, there is no chance now of the hut being blow away, as winter has set in. Last year the 'bay was frozen over for onlv a couple of days, but it is now frozen hard for as great a distance as the eye can see. Shortly before the bay froze there was an exodus of the penguins and seals, and the only birds remaining are Antarctic petrels and snow petrels. One of the dogs presented by Captain Amundsent met with an accident and had to be killed. He was immediately pounced on by the others, ripped open and eaten. All the scientific instruments are running /veil. We are collecting some valuable data. As the bay is frozen, we expect to do some interesting marine work early in the spring. The climate is fine and bracing, and all the members are in the best of health.