1910] on the Forthcoming Antarctic Expedition 865 



able and willing to undertake difficult enterprises, still capable of 

 standing in the van of the army of progress. 



But though this attainment of a pole of the Earth be in itself a 

 high enterprise worthy of national attention, it must be obvious that 

 there are various ways in which such a project can be undertaken. 

 It is possible to conceive the record of a journey to the pole which 

 would contain only an account of the number of -paces taken by the 

 party, the food eaten, or the clothes worn. The interest of such a 

 record would be entirely marred by our disappointment that so rare 

 an opportunity to add to human knowledge should have been missed. 



It becomes, therefore, a plain duty for the explorer to bring back 

 something more than a bare account of his movements ; he must 

 bring us every possible observation of the conditions under which his 

 journey has been made. He must take every advantage of his unique 

 position and opportunities to study natural phenomena, and to add to 

 the edifice of knowledge those stones which can be quarried only in 

 the regions he visits. Such a result cannot be achieved by a single 

 individual or by a number of individuals trained on similar lines. 

 The occasion calls for special knowledge and special training in many 

 branches. I have entered into these preliminary explanations in 

 order to show the objects I have had in view in organising the 

 expedition. 



I have arranged for a scientific staff larger than that which has 

 been carried by any previous expedition, and for a very extensive 

 outfit of scientific instruments and impedimenta. Doubtless there 

 are those who will criticise this provision in view of its published 

 object — that of reaching the South Pole. But I believe that the 

 more intelligent section of the community will heartily approve of 

 the endeavour to achieve the greatest possible scientific harvest which 

 the circumstances permit. 



In discussing my plans, it is perhaps as well to start with an 

 itinerary. The Terra Nova will leave London in a few days^that 

 is, on June 1. She is to sail to Portsmouth for the adjustment of 

 her compasses, and thence to Cardiff to complete her cargo of coal. 

 She leaves Cardiff on June 15, and will reach Cape Town, after a 

 call at Madeira, about August 1. After a week's stay she will sail 

 for Melbourne, reaching that port approximately on September 13. 

 After a week at Melbourne the ship will sail to Sydney, and thence 

 to Lyttelton, New Zealand, where she is timed to arrive on or about 

 October 13. The few stores that have not been shipped in London, 

 such as petrol for motor sledges, forage for the ponies, and a supply 

 of frozen mutton, will be taken on board at Lyttelton, as also the 

 ponies, dogs, and motor sledges. As is generally known, a member 

 of the expedition, Mr. Meares, left London several months ago to 

 proceed to Siberia to collect the twenty ponies and thirty dogs which 

 I have decided to take. I have received most satisfactory accounts 

 of his progress, and feel confident that the animals that he will ship 



3 L 2 



