The Goldfield news and weekly tribune. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1911-1947, 1914-07-11

sea and a voyage of 100000 miles
hunt and chart islands, reefs and
banks of doubtful location is what
the British antarctic and a
graphical expedition now proposes to
do for the benefit of the worlds mer-
chant marine. Originally Sir Ernest
S~hackelton and j. Foster Stackhouse
intended only to survey and chart
the coast of the antarctic continent,
looking for such menaces to shipping
as might lie on their voyage down
and back. But the charts disclose
so many points marked D., P. d. and
E. Doubtful, position doubtful
and existence doubtful-that the ex-
plorers have added two and one-half
years to their projected voyage,
which starts next December in the
Discovery.
The seven seas have never been
accurately chartered because, says
Mr.. Stackhouse, being everybody's
business 1t "a nobody's business to
do it." Even the north Atlantic has
its doubtful islands and sunken
reefs. Four different mariners, pre-.
vious to the Titanic disaster, report
ed seeing rocks neal the point where
the ship went down, and this is
of the first things to be investigated
by the Discovery. Polynesia, Mela-
nesia and Malaysia are notorious for
volcanic and coral distractions, and
the Panama canal will open new
routes through these dangerous seas.
The South American and African
coasts have their doubtful rocks. Mr..
Stackhouse considers it just as i'm
portant to find out hat a menace
does not exist as that it does.
The new sea charting expedition
is financed by public contributions.
Its fifteen officers and scientists have
given their work for the next six
years gratis. The only expenses be-
sides the equipment are those Incl
dental to running the ship and the
pay of the of nineteen men.
The foremost photographer of Great
Britain, Capt. J. A. Rupert-Jones,
will have charge of the soundings,
and Lieut.. Humphreys will do the
land surveying. Various other kinds
of scientific work are planned, includ-
ing observations as to the magnetic
pole.
Existing charts disclose facts
which have a disturbing influence on
traffic, such as the presence of shall
low surroundings in areas of deep
water. Such places will be carefully
searched for submerged rocks. All
corners of the world will be visited
and studied by the expedition.
The Discovery is a wooden ship
with steam auxiliary, especially de-
signed for work in icy waters, and
she will carry the latest sounding
machinery. While the voyage is
planned to last six years, the Off
GERS and crew are signed for seven
in event of delays.
In the hope of some day securing
a raw cotton supply Independent of
America, the International Fedora
ton of Master Cotton Spinners' and
Manufacturers association has just
launched a scheme for the establish
ment of a model cotton plantation in
Punjab, India.
Considering the advances already
made in India, it is estimated that
before many years the Indian crop
will be almost as large as the Amer
lean crop. The model plantation in
India will demonstrate the benefits
which arise from intensive farming,
thereby encouraging the landed pro-
prietors to adopt this system and to
improve the yield per acre and the
quality of the fibre.
The land will be sOwn with as
large a percentage of American cot
ton seed as possible, and the agricul-
tural department of Punjab will have
the right to purchase any of the ur-
plus seed produced which is not re-
CURED for the estate, for distribution
in other districts.
The federation has secured a
close to the railway and water sup
ply. A mOdern ginning mill is to be
erected, and as there is scarcely any
population in the vicinity, model viii
lagos are to be established for the
wOrkmen, who are to be brought in
and instructed by experts.
Leading members of the fedora
ton believe that within a few years
it will be possible to increase the In
dian cotton crop to ten million bales
without encroaching IN the area re-
quired for food. Manufacturers in
all countries using Indian cotton are
subscribing to the project.
All the British fleets and f1otillas
in home waters, which nowadays
means practically the whole of the
British navy, have been ordered to
be at Spithead on July II to spend