BACK TO ANTARCTICA.

Waikato Times, Volume 108, Issue 18159, 25 October 1930, Page 7

BACK TO ANTARCTICA.

VOYAGE OF RESEARCH SHIP. TO SAIL ON TUESDAY. (Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Oct. 23. The Royal research ship, William Scoresby, will sail from London on Tuesday with the officials who have been employed since 1926 in making researches in the Antarctic and neighbouring seas and are about to resume them. These investigations are being carried out by what is known as the Discovery Committee on behalf of the Government of the Falkland Islands, to which the vessel belongs.

It yvas with the assistance of the William Scoresby that Sir Hubert Wilkins carried out his exploration from the air of Antarctic territories near Graham’s Land in the course of the last southern summer. The ship is only 134 ft. long, but she has oil fuel sufficient to carry her 4000 miles. By means of a large steam winch a small trawl can be worked from the vessel in a depth of more than 3000 fathoms. Echo sounding gear enables the investigators to sound down to a depth of about 130 fathoms and the Lucas sounding machine carried has 5000 fathoms of wire. The ship carries fine silk nets and much scientific gear, also a laboratory. The purpose of the investigators is primarily the advancement of knowledge as to the distribution, migration and conditions which affect whales, but they also attend to the possibilities of fishery development. Already the party has conducted valuable trawling surveys around the Falkland Islands and will make others on reaching the South. The vessel’s complement consists of seven officers and 16 petty officers and men. She is commanded by Lieu-tenant-Commander Irving. Before the ship sails a presentation will be made by the underwriters to Messrs Roy and Sutherland, chief engineer and artificer, for their gallant action in diving repeatedly in the icy waters off South Georgia to free the propeller when it was entangled with the trawling gear.