20 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' 



Neumayer gradually bore fruit, and resulted eventually in the 

 despatch of our German colleagues under Professor von 

 Drygalski in his good ship the ' Gauss.' 



In England, whilst there were many Arctic explorers and 

 others who were keenly interested in the subject, it was the 

 written appeals of Sir John Murray that first secured for it a 

 wider appreciation. Soon after the completion of his labours 

 on that monumental work the ' Challenger ' publication. Sir 

 John Murray exerted his great abilities to stimulate a fresh 

 interest in the Southern Regions; in 1886 he pubhshed an 

 important treatise in the ' Scottish Geographical Journal,' 

 which led to the despatch of the Dundee whalers to which I 

 have alluded ; this in turn tended to direct further attention 

 to Southern exploration, and in 1893 Sir John read a second 

 paper to the London Geographical Society which still more 

 clearly and ably advocated the cause. 



Meanwhile other events had occurred which, although 

 unproductive, were significant of the tendency of public 

 thought. In 1885 an Antarctic Committee was appointed by 

 the British Association, which two years later made a strong 

 report in favour of further exploration. In 1887 the Victorian 

 Government, through its agent Sir Graham Barry, offered to 

 join the Home Government in sending out an expedition, but 

 this scheme likewise fell through. 



The actual birth of the ' Discovery ' Expedition may be 

 dated from July 1893, when Sir Clements Markham resolved 

 that an expedition should be sent. The extraordinary 

 strength and pertinacity of Sir Clements' character were 

 already well known to his intimates, and they at least must 

 have known that this resolve was momentous and signified 

 that by hook or by crook an expedition would go. In virtue 

 of his position as President of one of the greatest and 

 richest societies in the world, Sir Clements was favourably 

 placed for carrying out his determination, but few could 

 deny that in the years of struggle and difficulty which fol- 

 lowed, however ably and generously he was supported 

 by his colleagues and others, it was mainly through his own 



