XIX 



Sir Philip Fysh, K.C.M.G., who was re- 

 ceived with applause, said they gave the 

 heartiest welcome they could to the scien- 

 tiflc gentlemen forming the expedition, and 

 to the crew of the Southern Cross. (Ap- 

 plause.) He remembered, by the very 

 locality on which they stood, speaking as he 

 was almost in the shadow of the statue of 

 Sir John Franklin — (applause) — that we 

 had had here amongst us for some years one 

 who sacrificed his life in Arctic explora- 

 tion, and whom Carlyle might have in- 

 cluded in his heroes. In erecting that 

 statue to Franklin we were actuated, not 

 so much by the fact that he had been 

 Governor of this colony as by a desire to be 

 associated with the work which he under- 

 took. Speaking, then, at the foot of 

 the Franklin statue, he bade Mr. 

 Borcha:revink and his fellow-voj'agers 

 God speed. (Applause.) If Bi-itons re- 

 garded exploration almost as a duty, we 

 here, as mastei's of the Southern seas, 

 Aveie bound to be foremost in promoting 

 an exi^edition of this kind, and not having 

 been actively engaged in the work we 

 ought to be grateful to Great Britain for 

 having undertaken it. A few years ago 

 when Mr. Borchgrevink was here before 

 he suggested our taking part in this ex- 

 pedition, but the time had not come, and 

 we had still our duty to do. We 

 were indebted in a primary degree to 

 the large-hearted British baronet. Sir 

 George Newnes, who, out of his plenty 

 and setting a grand example to the 

 world, Conferred on the people of 

 the world the benefits of this expedition. 

 (Applause.) We also owed a debt of 

 gratitude to the men who now sat by 

 them, who were about to set out for 

 unknown seas and an unkno\\n land, and 

 who went to plant the British flag on 

 some soil where perhaps no human foot 

 had yet trod. When the Erebus and 

 Terror went South it was thought we 

 should have a commercial result. But we 

 really did not know whether the result of 

 this expedition would be commercial 

 or scientific. There was reason to hope 

 that geography, history, and science 

 would be benefited by it. It was now 57 

 years since the Erebus and Terror went 

 South, and that expedition left the name 

 of Erebus upon one mountain, and the 

 name of our Gracious Sovereign Victoria 

 upon the land they discovered. (Applause.) 

 We hoped these gentlemen would return 

 Mith further information of the great un- 

 known sea, and when they returned to 

 Hobart they would be even more heartily 

 welcomed than they were now. It was 

 very gratifying to have Scandinavia and 

 England associated in a matter of this 

 Tvind. He hoped the Almightj' would have 

 the expedition in His keeping. On behalf of 

 the Government and people of Tasmania 

 he gave the expedition a hearty welcome, 



and wished them God speed in the work 

 they undertook. 



The Hon. Adye Douglas, President of 

 the Legislative Council, said it was 58 

 years last month since the Erebus and 

 Terror sailed from Hobart. In 1841 Sir 

 James Agnew ^^'elcomed the return of the 

 party, and he was sorry he was not there 

 that evening. That expedition was a 

 comparative failure, but the present one 

 had the advantage of steam, and it was 

 to be hoped would be more successful. It 

 was almost a disgrace to Great Britain that 

 the present attempt ^vas not made on a 

 more extended scale, and that it should 

 be lef*" to the generosity of an individual to 

 make it. In a commercial sense it might 

 not be of much value, but to science it 

 would be of vast importance. He wished 

 Mr. Borchgrevink, on behalf of that 

 magnificent assemblage, all success to his 

 expedition. (Applause.) 



'"The Star Spangled Banner" was 

 played on the organ b^' Mr. Haywood. 



The Mayor (Alderman Hiddlestone) then 

 read the following address to Mr. Borch- 

 grevink and his colleagues : — 



Gentlemen,— In'the name of the citizens of the 

 city of Hobart, it is with extreme plea^^ure we 

 welcome you to our shores, and trust that dur- 

 ing your stay amongst us >ou will enjoy yoar- 

 selve.s to the fullest extent. Faithful to your 

 promise, when last v siting Tasmania, " That 

 shonld you succeed in fitting out an expedition 

 to the Antarctic regions, that Hobart should 

 be the first port of ctll." We esteem your 

 presence amongst us as a great compliment 

 to our city and the colony generally. I need 

 hardly assure you that any attention on our 

 p-irt to render your stay both enjoyable and 

 profit ible will be heartily extended. Halving 

 faithfully fulfilled your first promise, we shall 

 look forward with interest and expectation to 

 the safe return to Hobart of yourself and party 

 in health and strength, and your ship fl led to 

 the hatches with trophies of your successful 

 undertaking, and yourselves charged with 

 scientific information which will benefit the 

 world at large and fully repay yourselves and 

 your generous patron. Sir Geor<^e Newnes, Bart. 

 Again, extending to you our sincere wishes for 

 the success of your hazardous expedition. 



The Right Reverend H. H. Montgomery, 

 D.D., Bishop of Tasmania, and Vice- 

 President of the Royal Society, said : — 

 I have the great pleasure of representing 

 to-night the Royal Society of Tasmania, 

 and as this is the only port on the outward 

 voyage at which the Southern Cross will 

 call, we feel that we represent to-niglit 

 not only our own societ5% but the societies 

 of all tiie other colonies as well. And in 

 saying that we are proud to know what 

 perhaps all of you do not know, that our 

 society in Tasmania was one of the first 

 to receive Royal patronage — (applause)— 

 and in consequence of that we hope always 

 to keep in the van in regard to all scientific 

 discovery, and, perhaps, we may say we 

 are well fitted to represent all the other 

 societies on the adjacent continent of Aus- 



