PROCEEDINGS, AUGUST. 



XX111 



of Baron Dickson, and the opportunity arises of having the expedition 

 under a man like Baron Nordenski'old, I think the least we can do here 

 in Australia is to enter heart and soul into the project, and assist it to 

 the best of our ability. I observe that in Victoria it is proposed to raise 

 the funds necessary by private subscriptions, and not by a grant from 

 Parliament. So long as the money is forthcoming it does not much 

 matter how it is collected, but on this point it would be desirable to 

 ascertain what the views of the members of this Society are. We did 

 all we could to push forward the last proposed expedition, which fell 

 through unfortunately, and I feel sure that now this Society will do all 

 it can to further the present one. I judge from the very moderate sum 

 of £10,000, which is its estimated cost, that it can only be a preliminary 

 and experimental one, but I have no doubt that if it brings back 

 important information, as no doubt it will, that further expeditions 

 will in future be undertaken to set at rest the many scientific questions 

 which are at present locked up in this great unexplored region. 



Bishop Montgomery said that before he left London he had 

 expressed the hope that he might yet have the South Pole in his diocese. 

 (Laughter.) This expedition was important not only from a commercial 

 point of view, but also because it was desirable to gain a clear knowledge. 

 We were necessarily called upon to ascertain all about our own Hemisphere, 

 of which Tasmania might hope one day to be mistress. 



Mr. Jambs Barnard alluded to the previous movement in favour of 

 this object when a committee was formed in 1886. He surmised from a 

 communication he had received that that committee was now merged 

 in or superseded by the present movement. He also considered it a 

 matter of regret that England had not taken part in the expedition, 

 but inasmuch as science knew no nationality, it was, from a scientific 

 point of view, a matter of indifference whether England took her share 

 or did not do so. With regard to subscriptions, he thought that the 

 Government should be approached to contribute the colony's share. It 

 seemed to him that from an expedition of this description there was no 

 individual benefit to be derived, the benefit would be a national one, and 

 looking upon the matter in this light he considered that the Government 

 should be approached to give the approximate share justly due by Tasmania 

 as a colony largely interested in the expedition. 



Sir Lambert Dobson said it seemed to him that this must be a 

 question of interest to everyone who had any regard for science. The 

 world had now left comparatively little terra incognita that had not 

 been penetrated by the explorer, and this was the only remnant of 

 undiscovered region that concerned us. If there was any profit to 

 come out of the expedition, or any climatic benefit, doubtless Hoba>-t 

 Would derive the advantage. Hobart was the starting point of the 

 last Antarctic Expedition, and he remembered the sailing of the 

 Erebus and Terror. They had also the work of Lieutenant Hooker 

 remaining amongst them as a standard work, and the meteorological 

 observatory established here had proved of benefit. There was a 

 general desire to see the far South explored, to find out if there were 

 any fresh discoveries to be made, and he thought, whether the money 

 came from individuals or the Government, they would all be glad to see 

 Tasmania take part in the expedition. 



Mr. A. Morton said that in 1S86 the late Mr. Sprent read a paper on 

 this subject, and it was then contended that there should be a com- 

 bination of the colonies in carrying out the expedition. The project fell 

 through at that time until now, when it was again revived. He called 

 attention to the footnote in the circular — " Subscriptions will be 

 returned in full in the event of the expedition failing to start from 

 Hobson's Bay "—and said be had written for further information on the 

 Point, as to whether the same object might not be attained by the 



