BACKGROUND AND ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION 



The price trend, as reflected in the index of wholesale prices, before and during the expedition. 



from overseas Danes in cash and in kind, and through the conversion of 

 cash gifts into goods which could be sold in Denmark at a profit, the fund 

 was able to provide substantial sums not only for the Galathea Expedition 

 but also for the Danish Pearyland Expedition and the Danish Central 

 Asian Expedition. 



The plans now began to take definite shape. In the spring of 1948 a 

 committee was set up with H. R. H. Prince Axel as chairman, and the 

 first grant of 250,000 kroner was obtained. The next step was to procure 

 a ship and equipment. A unique opportunity to purchase a substantial 

 proportion of the gear at a favourable price was presented by the return 

 of the Swedish Albatross Expedition in October the same year. All the 

 Albatross's winches were bought, including the large trawl winch, to- 

 gether with wires, water samplers, thermometers, and a good deal more. 



There was no lack of available ships, but none seemed to have the 

 requisite seaworthiness, deck space, accommodation for the installation 

 of laboratory facilities, manoeuvrability, and so forth, and it was be- 

 ginning to look rather doubtful whether the expedition could be launched 

 in the foreseeable future when the World Friendship Association offered 

 its vessel Friendship for sale. Like all ships which have been for some 

 months laid up, she was rusty and dirty; but she had the right size, 

 a fairly spacious quarter-deck, a large saloon aft suitable for conversion 

 into a laboratory, and a convenient speed. She was also certified as being 

 very seaworthy. Accordingly the Admiralty was approached with a sugge- 

 stion that the ship be bought with Government funds and that a grant of 

 50,000 kroner a month for two years be made to cover the cost of main- 



