PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 37 



Filchner proposed to land only a small party of eleven 

 men, on the east coast of Whaler Sea, if possible. He hoped 

 to decide whether the Antarctic lands were united into 

 one plateau continent ; or whether, as he thought possible* 

 low-level ice barriers separated a Victoria Land segment 

 from units comprising Graham Land and Enderby Land 

 respectively. 



The oceanographic work to be carried out on the 

 "Deutschland" will probably bulk most largely in the 

 German results. Already most valuable observations have 

 been made at South Georgia, but these hardly come within 

 the scope of this brief summary. 



Lastly, we are glad to learn from Captain Davis that the 

 Australasian Expedition has occupied three far distant 

 stations. On Macquarie Island, nearly half way to his 

 main base on the continent, Mawson has established a 

 party primarily for meteorological observations. Wireless 

 messages are continually received relating to the weather, 

 which are invaluable in plotting the southern components 

 on the Australian weather charts. Moreover, there is an 

 area of 170 square miles awaiting detailed scientific inves- 

 tigation, and presenting numerous problems connected with 

 subantarctic flora, fauna and geology. 



The ''Aurora " landed Dr. Mawson and his main party 

 at Adelie Land, due south of Tasmania. There Captain 

 Davis' charts show a fine extent of ice-free land awaiting 

 exploration. So much exposed rock means good work not 

 only for the' geologist but for the biologist, for animal life 

 is more abundant in these less inclement localities. The 

 remarkable behaviour of the standard compasses hereabouts 

 indicates a region of great magnetic interest, and it is 

 certain that a station so near the Magnetic Pole, will pro- 

 duce results of paramount importance in that branch of 



