Notes

Abstract

THE Terra Nova, the vessel of the British Antarctic expedition, arrived at Akaroa, New Zealand, on April 1, and brought the news that on January 3 Captain Scott and five other members of the expedition were within 150 miles of the south pole, and that he intends to remain another year in the Antarctic. A detailed account of the work accomplished by the expedition has been obtained by the Central News, Ltd., agency, and appeared in the daily papers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Captain Scott left the base at McMurdo Sound on November 2, 1911, for the poleward journey, and had arrived at latitude 87° 32′ S. on January 3. Nearly three weeks before this date Captain Amundsen had reached the south pole. Though Captain Scott has thus been forestalled as regards the first arrival at lat. 90° S., the scientific results of the British expedition promise to make up for any disappointment which may be felt from the point of view of national sentiment. Specimens of coal of economic value, and well-preserved fossils, have been found near Granite Harbour by the western geological party. Marine biological work has been carried on continuously, and every phase of seal, penguin, and skuagull life has been photographed with the kinematograph. By means of small balloons the direction of atmospheric currents has been studied up to a height of six miles, and the temperatures have been recorded up to a height of five miles. Valuable magnetic, electrical, tidal, pendulum, and other observations relating to terrestrial physics have been made, and much has been done also in the fields of ice work and physiography. A summary of scientific work accomplished was published yesterday, and we hope to refer to its details next week. Meanwhile, we offer to Captain Scott and the other members of the British Antarctic expedition the thanks of the scientific world for the attention being given to systematic observations, which are of far greater value | than the attainment of the south pole. By deciding to spend another winter in the Antarctic, Captain Scott has given us additional cause to be grateful to him, and we may look forward confidently to a harvest of results of prime importance when the expedition returns to civilisation next year.