The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-08-20

approach each other somewhere on the
western or northern trend of Victoria Land.
THE BRITISH LEADER.
The leader of the British expedition is
Commander Scott, a young naval officer
with a marked talent for organization
and an enthusiasm for exploration and
rected the preparations for the voyage.
and knows where everything is stored on
the ship. He will have personal charge of
the magnetic observations. Lieutenant
Armitage is an experienced navigator,
lent from the service of the Peninsula and
Oriental Company, and, with his training
in sledge travelling with the Windward il
Franz Josef Land. he will be one of the
leaders in the exploration of Victoria
land. Lieutenant R0yds. Lieutenant
Barne, Louis Bernacchi and Reginald
Shelton are among the officers. Mr.. Ber-
nacchi Is a veteran In antarctic service:
arctic experience. The civilian staff in
cludes q geOlogist, a biologist. a physicist
and an artist. and will be directed by Mr..
George Murray. of the British Museum
The magnetic observations will include a
survey around the world south of the
Iortteth parallel deep sea soundings viii
be taken, tidal observations will be made
at winter quarters, and various collections
OF antarctic fauna and flora undertaken.
The dark months will be fully occupied
80 III WOAR dlO Will Dt0DoIa
tons for sledging. Dogs have been OBJ
tanned from Siberia, ana a fresh supply Is
expected from those belonging TO Sir
George NeWHes at Stewart island. There is
a torpeod officer, who will have charge of
the operations for blasting the ship out
of the ice, and Lieutenant Armitage is a
P fbao1sS ,b pilot Sacf for Leading tb0gs,d the oe, way
have been thought of and arranged, the
expedition is well equipped and admirably
manned for scientific work. There ought
IN he a Second shin IN fnI1nUy tho niC-
cOvery next year as a tender. A portion
of the money required has been raised,
and possibly the remainder will be sup
piled after the next meeting of the British
Association.
Sir Clements Markham. who is mainly re-
sponsible for this scientific cruise, repudi-
ates the idea that the expedition Is either a
maritime adventure or "A preliminary re-
connoissauce The ship has been designed,
built and commissioned for definite ~scientif-
ic work. The objects of the expedition are
to determine, as far as possible. the ex-
tent and nature of the south polar land.
10 ascertain the nature of the glaciation
and the condition of the ice cap; to OBJ
serve the character Of the underlying rocks
and TO make a magnetic survey south of
"A degrees, and biological Investigations and
deep sea soundings with temperatures
There will be no accommodating cruise along
the edge of the pack. but the ship will be
forced through the outer belt of ice out
into deep water south, in order to winter in
the best harbOr available and 70 give full
employment to sledging parties in the
spring. The work on land and sea will be
conducted in the interests of the two great
societies which have commissioned the ex-
petition, and the results will be placed at
the disposal of every section of the British
Association. On ship there will be survey
of coast lines, magnetic and meteorological
observations. deep sea ~soundings, and
marine biology; and on shore there will
be geographical exploration, geology. glac-
iation. tidal and pendulum observations
and biological and magnetic work. The Dis
covery is not making a reckless dash for
the south pole i'm the old-time spirit of
maritime adventure. 1t has the learned So
cieties of the United Kingdom behind II,
and. like the Ross and Challenge expedi-
tons, has a distinctively scientific mission.