10 president's address. 



audience for just a few remarks, will be fresh in your minds. 

 The enlightened action of the Federal Government in voting 

 the sum of £5,000 to supplement and complete the necessary- 

 outfit and equipment of the expedition led by Lieutenant Shackle- 

 ton, and the inclusion of Professor David in its personnel as 

 leader of the scientific staff, as well as of other Australian 

 representatives of Science, have given Australia a direct and 

 personal interest in its progress and welfare, as well as in the 

 subject of Antarctic exploration in general, which is altogether 

 unique in character. 



It is not necessary for me to attempt to follow the course of 

 events in detail, because the newspapers have given wide pub- 

 licity to all that there is to be known at present; and Professor 

 David's narrative, up to the time of the departure of the 



11 Nimrod" on the return voyage, is still in course of publication 

 in the leading daily papers. We have all heard with great regret 

 and disappointment that the " Nimrod " had throughout so 

 much more tempestuous and trying a time of it than the 

 " Discovery," under Captain Scott, over very much the same 

 route in January, 1902; and that the leader's plans for seeking 

 winter quarters in King Edward Seventh's Land, and making 

 this portion of the Antarctic Continent his base of operations 

 were frustrated by insuperable obstacles. In another respect, 

 however, the "Nimrod's" adventurous cruise provides no ground 

 for disappointment. The record of the indomitable courage and 

 daring of the officers and crew of both the "Nimrod" and the 

 " Koonya," would have warmly commended itself to Captain 

 Cook; just as the readiness of the passengers, including the scien- 

 tific staff, to turn to and try to save the Manchuriau ponies from 

 being battered to death or drowned in the stalls, or to man 

 the pumps would have evoked as warmly the approval of Sir 

 Joseph Banks. And we may rejoice that the race which used 

 to breed the grand old stamp of voyager ready to venture all in 

 pursuit, of geographical and scientific knowledge, still produces 

 worthy modern representatives. 



