286 ANTATtCTIC EXPEDITION PUBLICATIONS. 



AUSTRALASIAN ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION 



REPORT 



ON THE 



PROGRESS OF THE PUBLICATION 



OF THE 



scientific; results. 



By Sir Douglas Mawson, B.E., D.Sc. 



On the return of the Expedition to Australia at the beginning of 

 March. 1914, the unpaid debts of the undertaking stood at about 

 £5,000. Such an encumbrance was not regarded as a serious matter, 

 for prospective assets from the publication of a popular book, lectures, 

 and the sale of cinematograph rights were expected to return a far 

 greater sum ; sufficient, indeed, to defray, as well, the cost of the 

 publication of the Scientific Eesults. Unfortunately, at the very 

 moment when the train was well laid for the realization of these assets, 

 the Great War broke out, and all arrangements fell through. 



In the following years it was only with the greatest difficulty that 

 I managed, by arduous and tiresome exertions, to obliterate this debt. 

 As for producing, in addition, the necessary fund to adequately pubhsh 

 the Scientific Reports, it was realized soon after the outbreak of war 

 that the achievement of such was more than could be expected under 

 the altered circumstances. Accordingly in October, 1914, I made an 

 appeal to Mr. Andrew Fisher, then Prime Minister of the Common- 

 wealth, explaining the position and requesting that the Common- 

 wealth Government should agree to defray the cost of printing all 

 manuscripts relating to the Expedition results such as would, in due 

 course, be submitted for pubUcalion. Mr. Fisher rephed that eveTy 

 penny was needed to prosecute the war, and the matter of several 

 thousand pounds could not be spared. Thus it tv^as that, late in the 

 year 1915, on my return from a lecturing tour in America, the matter 

 was brought to the notice of the South Australian Government by a 

 deputation led by Chief Justice Sir Samuel Way. As a result the 

 Premier, the Hon. Crawford Vaughan, agreed to have the printing of 

 the Reports carried out as odd time work, free of cost, at the 

 Government Printing Office. 



