Evening times-Republican., 1914-02-28
IO SURVEY LANDS
NEAR SOUTH POLE
BRITISH EXPLORING EXPEDITION
TO SAIL IN AUGUST FOR ANT.
* ARCTIC REGIONS.
TO DETERMINE IF CONTINENT
EXISTS IN FROZEN REGIONS
staekhouse Party Plans Scientific Elk.
plorations and Will Not Attempt to
Reach pols-To Chart Coast Line Be.
tween Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
To Explore Great Ice Barrier.

tween Atlantic and Pacific Oceans
To Explore Great Ice Barrier.
London, Feb. 2S.-The steamer Dis
covery, which the late Captain Scott
used in his first Antarctic voyage, has
been chartered by the British Antarc-
tic expedition, which is to be COM
manded by J. Foster Stackhouse, and
will leave London about Aug. i for the
far south. Mr.. Stackhouse. whose ex-
ploratory work has heretofore been
confined to Iceland, will make no at
tempt to reach the pole. His main
purpose will be to determine the coast
line of Kind Edward VII land on one
side of the Antarctic circle, and
Graham Land on the other. Between
these two sections of discovered land
stretches a vast and practically unex-
plored region. The expedition will at
terVening space is land or sea, whether
King Edward VII land is part Of the
great Antarctic continent or merely
an island or group of islands set in the
frozen sea.
The existence Of Graham land. and
Of Coats land. Enderby land and Kemp
land on the Atlantic border Of the
great ice barrier, as we'll as the discov-
cry Of land south by Lieutenant Fitch
ner. Of the German expedition in 1911,
support the continental theory. On the
other hand the great area of pack
ice massed on the north and west
coast of King Edward VII land points.
Mr.. Stackhouse suggests, 10 due to this
drift of ice northward from Weddell sea
to the Ross Sea. presumably through
a strait separating King Edward VII
land from the Graham land. This is
the most southerly Of British posses
sions for the whole region between
meridian 20 degrees west and meridian
80 degrees east is claimed for the
British crown. The information which
the expedition Will obtain as to har-
bors, whaling stations and sealing
grounds will be Of great service to the
whaling industry Of the Falkland Is
lands.
To Take Along AsropIans.
The crew Of the Discovery will con-
sist of twenty-five men and in addi-
tion there will be five scientists, sew
eral Of the ships officers also UNDER
taking scientific observations. They
will have an aeroplane for Photographic
survey work and this too will be use
full in enabling the leader to choose
the best route when he wants to ad-
vance. Most OF the navigating and
scientific staff have already been
chosen. Lieut. A. E. Harbord, Of the
royal navy, who was navigating officer
on the Nimrod in the Shackleton ex-
pedition, will command the Discovery.
The first officer will be Lieut.. Richard
H. Garstin. Of the Royal Indian Marine.
who has a considerable knowledge Of
surveying. and the navigating officer.
who comes from the same service. will
be Lieut.. r. Beatty. cousin OF Rear
Admiral David Beatty. Chief Petty
Scott In both his Discovery and Terra
Nova expeditions. will be boatswain
Among the scientific STAFF will be
Lord Congleton, Of the Grenadier
Guards. who has done a great deal Of
military survey work: the Master of
Sempill only son Of Lord Sempill. has
served his apprenticeship in engineer
ing, and will have charge OF the
meteorological department, the elec-
trical plant and the motor boat and
aerQplane engines: Captain A. S. Cam
trelh, who has been lent by the Ad-
mirality. will have charge of the sur
vey work; w. H. Stewart Garnet, NJ. A,
an expert on skis and qualified marine
engineer and D. Hector Pearson, an
officer In the Essex Territorials. who
will be one of the surveyors.
To Remain Three Years.
The expedition will be away for three
or four years. From Cape Town. where
the scientific instruments will be final
ly stested. the Discovery will sail to
the Falkland Islands. distance Of
about 5000 miles. Deep-sea soundings,
which will have considerable hydro
graphical value. will be taken in these
little frequented seas. On the way the
number Of islands contained in the
position of the Shag Rocks Discuss
ing his plans Mr.. Stackhouse said:
after calling at the Falklands, the
Discovery will proceed to the east side
OF Grahams Land. Here I propose to
land party Of fifteen about Dec. 20.
Their task will be to determine a
doubt as to the insularity Of Grahams
land. The existence of a strait be-
tween Grahams land would explain
the great accumulation Of ice between
that land and the Great Barrier. This
part .of the expedition will have the
assistance Of the airman. He will. I
am convinced. save them much useless
sledge-hauling. They will also carry
out large amount Of survey work, re.
naming together IL or II months.
Meanwhile the Discovery will proceed
to- Larsen's Sea and endeavor to fix
the icoast between Grahams land and
the base Of the last German expedition
about 78 degrees south.
"Returning after wintering in the
ice. we will pick up the land party
about Jan. 1916. and then endeavor to
make Charcot land, and the following
spring go down the coast to McMurdo
sound. We will leave early in 1917 for
New Zealand.
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