BACKGROUND AND ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION I7 



taining her as a naval vessel. A further grant of 350,000 kroner towards 

 the scientific costs of the expedition had by this time been received from 

 the Expeditions Fund. The application was granted, and by June 29, 

 1949, the expedition could be regarded as certain. 



But more difficulties were to come. The cost of the ship was 1,200,000 

 kroner, and a further 800,000 kroner was allocated for her conversion 

 and re-fitting. The latter sum fell short of requirements, and even when 

 raised to a little over 1,000,000 kroner still failed to cover the costs of 

 installations not directly connected with the scientific objects of the 

 expedition. The extra costs were met by the Expeditions Fund, which 

 also provided the ship's radar and echo-sounder, thereby bringing the 

 fund's total expenditure on the ship's equipment to about 800,000 kroner. 



By the end of August 1950 the Galathea was ready to sail; she went into 

 commission on September i, and the expedition set out on October 15, 

 after a fortnight's delay due to repairs and alterations arising out of the 

 two trial trips. 



The allocation of 50,000 kroner a month for maintaining the ship as 

 a naval vessel also proved inadequate. A year later Denmark devalued 

 her currency; the Korean war had broken out and prices had risen 

 enormously. A supplementary allocation of 600,000 kroner was made 

 to cover direct increases in costs, along with the offer of a further 250,000 

 kroner conditional on a like sum being forthcoming from other sources. 

 This last sum was also provided by the Expeditions Fund, as was a further 

 250,000 kroner necessitated by heavy dock charges and high cost of fuel 

 oil in the Pacific. Even so, it was necessary to curtail the expedition by 

 about three months and return home in July instead of October as 

 planned. 



Altogether, then, the expedition cost about 3,000,000 kroner in capital 

 expenditure, mainly on ship and gear, and 2,500,000 kroner in working 

 expenses. The Government provided about 2,250,000 kroner of the ca- 

 pital expenditure and about 2,000,000 kroner of the working expenses, 

 the Expeditions Fund the balance of about 800,000 kroner and 500,000 

 kroner respectively. 



