THE NIMROD.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13750, 12 September 1908, Page 5

THE NIMROD.

RETURN TRIP TO THE ANTARCTIC PREPARATIONS AT LYTTELTON. Per P»*ass Association. CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 11. Tt is understood that the British Antrmtie expedition ship Nimrod will leave Lytteltou on December Ist on her second trip to tho Antarctic regions. Tho vessel has now been in Lyttelton nearly seven months since her return from the south, and during that timo her officers and men, who have stayed by hef, have- not boon idle. A larg(* amount of work has been done recently in overhauling and repairing tho vessel: The rigging has been thoroughly overhauled and repaired. A reporter who visited the Nimro'd to-day found what an important work was in progress. This consists in the extension of the living quarters in the after end of the vessel. The additional space is being obtained by extending th© living quarters into the after-hold. When complete, the 1 •■'enlarged^ quarters will be more comfortable than those ip the after deckhouse which were 'occupied by the shore party on the trip, to th© ice. They were terribly cramped fan room, and the lighting and ventilation were bad in the extreme. When thi« alterations are completed the living' quarters below will be four times &V large as before. A peep into the engine room showed that the engineers had been doing solifl work. The engines and pumps and other gear below have been overhauled and put in thorough repair. | Tho Nimrod will ship a full year's supply of stores before starting for thp south, and the whole of the remain^ ing available space will be filled with coal. Lieut. F. P. Evans.. 8.N.R., ojf the Tin ion Company, is to take the command of tho vessel for the next voyage south. The vessel will make the fullest possible use of her sails, but as she will not bo towed south this time, and a good deal of unfavourable wind will be doubtless met with the ship will probably have to use her engines very often. Mr John K. Davis, chief officer of the Nimrod, who has been continually by tho ship since her arrival from Eng« land last year and since her return from ili>- Antarctic, is about to take a holiday. Ho will leave for Auckland in *lio To7iu,iiriro next week.