To the South Pole.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLV, Issue 2, 13 July 1910, Page 50

To the South Pole.

' TERR A NOVA’S VOYAGE TO NEW ZEALAND. ’ SIXTY SLEDGES TAKEN. PERSONNEL OE THE EXPEDITION. ( ' LONDON, May 27. .Captain Scott returned to London this week from Hull, to complete his final arrangements for the sailing, of the Terra Nova for New Zealand and the Antarctic. The staff is practically complete, with the exception of one geologist. Lieut. E. R. G. Evans, as already announced, is to be Captain Scott’s chief officer, his previous Polar experience being an invaluable asset. Dr. Wilson is to act as chief of the scientific staff, and in addition act as zoologist and artist. Professor Simpson, of the Indian Survey Department, is acting as physicist. But, contrary to expectation, Mr. Mackintosh Dell, director of the geological survey of New Zealand, and Professor David, of Sydney University, will not accompany the expedition. The services, however, have been secured of Mr. Griffiths Taylor, of Australia, and Mr. Thompson, of New Zealand. Mr. C. R. Meares, the well-known traveller, who has been away in Siberia buying dogs and ponies for the purpose of the expedition, and attending to their transportation to New Zealand, where they are to be picked up by the Terra Nova on its arrival there towards the end of the year, will accompany the expedition. He will join the ship at Lyttelton.

Among others on board will be Lieut. 11. Pennell, R.N., Lieut. Campbell, R.N., I.ieul. Rennick, R.N., Lieut. Bowers, Indian Marine Engineer, Lieut. Reilly, D.N., Dr. I,evic and Dr. Atkinson, both D:-N., of the medical staff, Mr. (J. S. Wright, assisant physicist, Mr. 11. G. Donting, photographic expert, Messrs. Nelson and Lilley, biologists, and Captain Oates, of the Dragoon Guards, in (Charge of the ponies.

Nearly £40,000 Raised. --- - — — All the crew are chosen, and, with one or two exceptions, they are now down with the boat, the Terra Nova, at Weist India Docks. Asked whether he had obtained all the money that was necessary for his expedition, Captain Scott stated that so far as he had been able to ascertain they were only two or three thousand pounds short of the £40,000 necessary, but he had not yet been able to ascertain what the provincial subscriptions amounted to. In any case, added the explorer, “I do not imagine that there will be much of a deficit.” The schoolboys have been subscribing to defray the cost of sledges, giving them, by the way, all sorts of weird names, and Captain Scott was able to make the gratifying announcement that there will be sixty sledges in the transport equipment that is being taken by the Terra Nova. .... i ' The greatest interest was, of course, formed round the motor sledges, which are for the first time to have'a practical test in Polar exploration. ' Captain Scott stated that he was taking three of these sledges with him. They had been tried over the soft enows of Norway, quite satisfied all the expectations that were entertained In regard to them, and it is certain that they will be able to stand the lowest temperatures. On the glacier icc they should be able to make progress at the rate of ten or fifteen miles'a day, and should therefore relieve, to a large extent, the strain on the dogs. Captain Scott remarked that the real place of interest now was the ship itself, which was fast completing its loading. He understood that all the stores were on board. It is understood that no deviation has been made from the programme which Captain Scott formed within the List few weeks. There will be two bases to the expedition, one at McMurdo Sound, the old base used on former expeditions, and the other on King Edward Land, a distance from each of rather less than five hundred miles. From these bases the task of the expedition will lie to reach the Pole in the short season that is available.

Captain Scott remarked tjuvt he hoped to reach the South Pole some time in December, Ifill, or what was midsummer in thoße regions. . i - < 11 i From either of the bases it is 750 miles to the Pole. Parties will’ be left at each of these winter stations with the object of collecting scientific data, and the final dash over the inland, ice sheet will be made by those of the expedition who "at the time are‘found to be in the fittest condition, and best able to stand the final perils of the glacier ice. v “ A Model Yacht.” The Terra Nova leaves the Thames next Wednesday, and after swinging hetcompasses at Portsmouth, proceeds to Cardiff to ship 500 tons of coal. ■ On June 15 she will sail from the Welsh port for New Zealand, and is due at Lyttelton in October. Captain .Scott himself will not sail from England in the ship, but will join her in New Zealand, leaving England later in the summer. t . .. At the beginning of December the Terra Nova will finally.leave for the Antarctic, and after landing the wintering party, return to New Zealand next April, again going South in December, 1911. Ot all those on board the Terra Nova, about 30 will remain with the ship ,and return with her to the Antarctic. The old Dundee whaler of 749 tons, built 26 years ago, has been transformed into a model yacht, and is undoubtedly the most efficiently equipped vessel ever employed in Arctie or. Antarctic work. Her engines are capable of developing 10 knots. The vessel, which was formerly a 'schooner, has been rerigged 'as a barque, and interior alterations have been of a very extensive character. The small wardroom, formerly only capable of accommodating six men, lias been rebuilt and enlarged so as to be able to hold four times that number. The forecastle has been extended, and the crew space so improved as to accommodate all the men in comfort. A warrant officers’ mess has been built, and below the wardroom large stores for scientific instruments, clothing, tobacco, etc., have been constructed, while magazines for acetylene and petrol have been added.

On_d<x-k great improvements have been effected. T , Very little tinned meat will be etnployed, and.with a view to using fresh provisions as much as possible,'a hundred carcascsT of beef and mutton are being taken out, and a large ice-chamber has been constructed for their reception. | ”‘A new deck-house has been provided, and four laboratories for the use of the physicists, biologists and zoologists, together with a photographic dark room and a new chart house, have been built. Stores for Three Years. Stores for three years are being taken, and the work of stowing and marking these has been a matter of the greatest care. All provisions, etc., have been packed in specially devised veneer wood cases, very light and strong, bound with metal, each weighing not more than 601 b. —a one-man load. On board the Terra, Nova are also stowed 60 sledges of Norwegian make, two large huts for winter quarters, and a hut for the scientific observers. The motor sledges will .be sent out by ordinary steamer to New Zealand, and, together with the dogs and ponies which are being collected by Mr. C. H. Meares in Siberia and Manchuria, will be shipped on board the Terra Nova at Christchurch. On leaving Cardiff on June 15, the Terra Nova will sail for Madeira, Ascension and St. Helena, and afterwards call in a£ the barren island of St. Paul’s Rocks in order to see if there are any shipwrecked people. Probably a visit will be paid to Tristan d’Acunha. The Terra Nova will take on fresh coal at Cape Town, leaving there about the beginning of August for the South Indian Ocean, where calls will be made at Crozet, Kerguelen and Marian Islands, after which a course will be set for Australian anil New Zealand ports. With the exception of Captain Scott and Mr. Mearbs, the whole of the expedition will leave England in the Terra Nova, with a total of about 60 people on board. j