A New Antarctic Expedition

Abstract

IT is announced in the Times that a British Antarctic Expedition will leave England in September for the western side of Graham Land. It will be led by Mr. J. R. Rymill, of the recent Watkins Greenland expedition, who will be accompanied by fourteen men most of whom have had experience in Greenland. They include Messrs. W. E. Hampton, Q. Riley, A. Stephenson, and E. Bingham. A vessel of about 120 tons, to be manned by the members of the expedition, will sail via Deception Island in the South Shetlands to Wilhelmina Bay in North Graham Land whence, after a reconnaissance by aeroplane, a sledge journey will be made along the east coast to Crane Channel and back. Later in the summer, the ship will be taken farther south and a base for two winters will be sought in Marguerite Bay, or farther south in Graham Land or possibly Hearst Land. If a safe harbour cannot be found, the ship will return to Deception Island leaving most of the expedition at a land station. From the southern base a sledge journey will start eastward in October 1935, returning about March 1936. It is hoped that this journey will settle the problem of the western coast line of the Weddell Sea. In the following summer, sledge journeys, supplemented by aeroplane flights, will be made westward to Charcot Island and beyond if possible. The expedition hopes to return to England in May 1937. This ambitious project, which should solve some of the outstanding problems in Antarctic discovery, is estimated to cost no more than £15,000, of which the British Government is giving £10,000 and the Royal Geographical Society £1,000.