THE NIMROD.

Star (Christchurch), 20 December 1907, Page 4

THE NIMROD.

* THE SCIENTISTS ARRIVE. Seven additional members of the Antarctic Expedition arrived from the North, yesterday morning. The new arrivals are Dr Marshall, senior surgeon, magnetician and surveyor; Lieutenant J. B, Adams, R.N.R.j meteorologist and magnetician; Mr R. E. Priestley, geologist; Mr B. Day, chauffeur and electrician ; Mr R. Marston, artist;; Mr R.. Roberts, cook and assistant zoologist ; and Mr F. Wyld, sledgeman and dog-keeper. These members of we expedition are all young men x)f athletic build, and are admirably fitted for the work they axe to undertake. ,Mr Bernard Day, who will have, charge of the motor-car, has had considerable experience both in the driving and construction of cars, and he superintended the work in connection with the manufacture of the car that is to be taken South. The oar, Mt Day explained to a reporter, has^ a fourcylinder 12-15 horse-power engine, with alcohol as ,the mptive power. It was built by/ . the new Arrol-John-ston Car Company, at Paisley, Scotland, and all its parts have • been made specially strong, the material used being chrome-nickel. The car has no silencer, the hot gas from the escape being used fifst to heat a box under the feet of the occupants, and then to melt snow in a threegallon reservoir. It is hoped that this arrangement will solve the difficulty usually experienced in. securing a supply of drinking water while on the ice. Mr Day stated, in answer to questions regarding the motor-car, that it had already been put to fairly severe tests. The engine had been tried in a refrigerator, with the object of seeing how it would fare in a very low temperature, and it had been found to work admirably. The completed car had also been tested on the Scotch roads. At the present time Mr Day is the only member of the expedition thoi'oughly qualified to drive the car, and it is probable that he will be one of the party that will make the southern journey towards the Pole. He will undertake the tuition of another driver, however, so that the car may not become useless should he be incapacitated by any means. A very large supply of spare parts is being taken south. Mr AVyld, who is a petty officer in the Navy, was a member of the Discovery expedition, and took part in some of the sledging work then undertaken. He and Mr E. Joyce, who is bringing up the dogs from Stewart Island, will have charge of the dogs, ponies^ and sledges. Mr Wyld has taken lessons in printing, in order that he may assist in the production of the journal proposed to be published in the Antarctic. Mr Marston will do the lithograph 1 work in connection with the journal. Lieutenant Shackleton arrived from the North yesterday morning. He told a reporter that he was very gratified with the warmth of the reception that had been accorded him by tho audience that attended his /lecture in Wellington. Professor David, in . making an appeal to the public of Australia for help towards the funds, of Lieutenant Shackleton's expedition, urges 6everaJ reasons why help should be afforded. Among them he mentions that Antarctica is the great sister continent of Australia in the Southern Hemisphere. It is probably about equal in area to Australia, and not unlike it in shape, and on account of its proximity ana its situation at the spot which may be termed the radiating point of the weather of the Southern Hemisphere, it exerts a very impo-rtant influence, upon local weather conditions. Probably not only Australian meteorology, but meteorological science in general, has more to gain by researches in the Antarctic than from similar studies in any other part of the world. It is not too much to say that without further knowledge of the weather conditions in Antarctica it would be impossible to give that degree of precision to Australian weather forecasts* which has been attained by meteorology in the Northern Hemisphere. It is certain that much is to be gained by further observations in the Antarctic for this I reason : In the tropical areas of the world the winds known as the southeast and north-east trades blow in towards the equator, they ascend at the ! equator to a great height, and move overhead towards the North and South Poles. Tho weather in the Southern Hemisphere depends on the vast air : current which travels From the equator i to tho Polo and back from the Polo !to the equator. That this circulation ' from the equator to the Pole is no , mere theory is proved by the fact ob- , served by the last Antarctic expedition I under Captain Robert Scott, that, after the prevalent south-east wind had been blowing strongly from the South Pole j for several hours, a rise in temperature I of as much as 20 or 30de.? Fahr. was I frequently experienced. After, a rei fereuce to the magnetic survey 1 work to be undertaken by the Nimrod. Professor David continues :— "Though it is premature, as yet *> speak of possible mineral discoveries oi commercial value, it is known that the rocks of the Antarctic are of a hind which are frequently associated with mineral deposits, «- they are formed in part of granite, limestones and rocks alliod to "serpentine. Traces of tin and gold have already been found, but the frozen nature of the ground, of course, prohibits effective prospecting of alluvial deposits. If, however, actual reefs exist, it is quite possible that thoy may yet be discovered, us there are rocky ridges her c and there visible, though, ! for the most part, the actual rock is concealed from view by the thick snow and ice. The feet may here be recalled that it was thought extremely improbable that any mineral deposits of commercial value could ever be found in a snow-clad continent like Greenland; nevertheless,

the principal mineral deposit of the world from which aluminium was merly almost exclusively obtained, and which made the aluminium industry of Newcastle-on-Tyne, the mineral Ice Stone or Cryolite, was discovered on i ie east coast of Greenland. If anywhere jn ; the Antarctic a promising gold-bearing reef, for example, wer c found, there is little doubt that miners would bo willing to risk the rigours of the Antarctic, and work the reer, at all events, during the summer months." The steam launch which forms part of the equipment of the Nimrod was used for the first time yesterday between Lyttelton and Quail Island.