400 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION E. 



Antarctic Ocean. The chain of the Andes ran right down there and 

 constituted the backbone of the Antarctic continent, which was as 

 large as Austraha and Europe combined. Its coasts abounded with 

 animal life, and surely its mountains were blessed with universal 

 resources at least equally with other countries. It towered from 

 the sea in great rocky ranges, only giving place to the uninterrupted 

 tract of ice in the interior. It held among its fossil strata secrets 

 specially interesting to Australians. 



If ever in the history of Australia an expedition is to set out 

 under favourable circumstances and with a future well assured of 

 success, it must be immediate. No time is to be lost. So surely as 

 it lapses for a moment foreign nations will step in and secure this 

 most valuable portion of the Antarctic continent for themselves, 

 and for ever from the control of Australia. I am fuUy prepared, and 

 preliminary arrangements have been made to set out from Aus- 

 tralia in November next. 



The work will take 17 months — one winter and two summers, 

 or, possibly, two winters and three summers — before the realisation 

 of one of ithe greatest scientific events in the history of Australia, 

 viz., the meeting of the British Association for the Advancement of 

 Science in 1914, at the invitation of the Commonwealth Govern- 

 ment, a grant of £10,000 having been put aside for the entertain- 

 ment of the oversea visitors. The importance to Australia of being 

 able to present the results of such an expedition at the meeting 

 cannot be overestimated. 



The large sum of money required is a great barrier to the enter- 

 prise. It will mean a total sum of £40,000. This is, however, no 

 insuperable obstacle. Indeed many wealthy Australians would 

 not feel the loss of the whole amount. In smaller sums it would not 

 require the co-operation of many individuals to secure the doing of 

 deeds that would build for themselves an everlasting name, and 

 produce books full of the stir and achievement of a new era of effort 

 and progress greater than any in the past. 



There across the water is the vast continent beckoning, in the 

 words of Service : — 



" Long have I waited, lonely, shunned as a thing accurst, 

 Monstrous, moody, pathetic, the last of the lands and the first." 



