12 president's address. 



work carried out by this Expedition, is that investigations in all 

 the leading lines, occupying the attention of previous ventures, 

 have been prosecuted in an entirely new region, or practically new, 

 for Uumont D'Urville did not land on the mainland, and brought 

 back no information concerning it, except the main fact, that there 

 w^as land. Wilkes bad taken a few soundings. Sixty of the 90° of 

 the Australian Quadrant were new ground, and it was there, that 

 operations were carried out in relation to physiography, meteor- 

 ology, and other branches of science. The result is that the coast 

 has been mapped through 33* of longitude, and the extension of 

 the continent has been shown for the remainder by means of 

 soundings indicating continental slopes or a shelf. 



Large areas of the land were sledged over, and rough topogra- 

 phical maps prepared. A study of the great Ice Sheet, both on the 

 plateau, and along its coastal face, has been illuminating, and adds 

 new data for the study of glaciation. Marginal shelf-ice on a large 

 scale, floating glacier-tongues, a booming glacier, and an avalanche- 

 cascade were special features studied. The occurrence of extraordi- 

 narily large bergs, up to 40 miles in length by 20 miles broad, and 

 observations upon their annual rate of travel, form a matter of 

 interest. 



The territory of Adelie Land was extended to reach the area of 

 the Main Base. King George F^and is considerably to the east of 

 the Main Hut, Queen Mary Land at our western base, Wilkes'Land 

 is south of Duniont D'Urville's Clare Land, which was proved to be 

 non-existent. 



From these terse facts it will he seen that though all the details 

 of the geography of the Australian Quadrant are not yet known, it 

 is assured that the salient features are covered. 



Important dredging work was carried out; unfortunately, owing 

 to weather conditions, it was only on the last cruise that really 

 satisfactory results were obtained, and on this venture every dredge 

 was successful. Dredgings at all depths between 50 fathoms and 

 two miles Avere made along the region of the Antarctic Circle (in 

 the Australian Quadrant). These dredgings are in the charge of 

 Mr. Hunter, and it is understood that the distribution is to be 



