150 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



Antarctic Exploration Committee. — Mr. Rusden moved 

 the re-appointment of the Antarctic Exploration Committee, 

 consisting of Mr. Ellery, Mr. Griffiths, Professor Kernot, 

 Mr. Eusden, Dr. Wild, Dr. Bride, Mr. J. G. Duffy, Mr. H. 

 Gundersen, Mr. E. J. Hart, Mr. A. C. Macdonald, Baron 

 Ferdinand von Mueller, K.C.M.G., Captain Pascoe, R.N., 

 and Mr. Sachse. He said that the Committee had received 

 letters through Mr. Gundersen, the Swedish Consul, from 

 the Swedish Academy, offering on the pai't of Barons 

 Nordenskiold and Dickson to form a Swedish-Australian 

 Expedition, provided that Australia would contribute the 

 sum of <£*5000 towards it, and Baron Nordenskiold under- 

 took to lead it. The Committee had accepted the offer and 

 promised to endeavour to collect the £5000 as soon as 

 possible. Subscription lists had been prepared, and were 

 now being circulated, headed by donations already promised 

 amounting to =£^600 which sum would probably be augmen- 

 ted that evening by a vote of the Royal Society of £100. 

 Preparations were in progress for giving a Grand Ball, by 

 which it was expected that the Exploi-ation Fund would 

 acquire a fair accession, but more was expected from persons 

 in positions like that of Sir Thomas Elder, who had offered 

 <£^oOOO towards Central Australian Exploration, and, if the 

 cablegrams could be relied on, had since offered a like sum 

 towards Antarctic Exploration. Several persons looked 

 upon this Expedition as peculiarly the duty of Australia, 

 and the number of persons who were acquiring a lively 

 interest in it was daily increasing. If Sir Thomas Elder's 

 offer were available for the proposed Swedish-Australian 

 Expedition, the enterprise was almost a prospective certainty, 

 as the amount required from Australia by the Barons was 

 exceeded and Baron Dickson was understood to be prepared 

 to furnish what more might be required. 



Professor Spencer enquired whether it was proper to 

 appoint a Committee formed partly of Members of the Royal 

 Society, and partly of gentlemen who were not Members. 



Mr. RusDEN said that this was a Joint Committee con- 

 sisting partly of Members of the Royal Society, and partly 

 of Members of another Society. 



Professor Spencer wished to know whether a Committee 

 of the Society had power to add to its number gentlemen 

 who were not Members of the Society. 



