ANNIVERSARY ADDRE SS . 



17 



Notwithstanding however, that considerable efforts have been 

 made tosecure this comparatively small sum, the amount subscribed 

 up to date is less than £1,000, and it is more than probable that 

 the Swedish Australian Antarctic Expedition, which it was pro- 

 posed to depart from Europe in a steamer specially fitted up for 

 such purpose in July next, so as to start from Melbourne in the 

 following September, and from Macquarie Island, the nearest 

 depot to polar land, in October — will for this season at least have 

 to be given up, since only the four months of an Antarctic sum- 

 mer viz., October, - February, could be made use of for Antarctic 

 Exploration. 



The subject of Antarctic Exploration was also discussed by the 

 Geographical Section at the Christchurch meeting of the Associ- 

 ation for the Advancement of Science in January last, when a 

 paper by Mr. G. S. Griffiths, f.r.g.s., President of the Section, on 

 Australian and Antarctic Exploration was read and discussed. 

 Baron Ferd. von Miiller, as President of the Antarctic Exploration 

 Committee of Victoria pointed out the impossibility of obtaining 

 at the present time any large grant from either the Imperial or 

 Colonial Governments and therefore advocated an expedition on 

 lines of less magnitude and extending in the first place to only 

 three or four months. 



Admiral Ommanney in a letter to the Times strongly deprecates 

 any idea of landing a party to pass the winter in the Antarctic 

 regions. The exploration of these regions is acknowledged to be 

 of the highest scientific interest and of considerable commercial 

 value, especially to Australasia. The principal objects of such an 

 expedition would be : — 1. Further extension of geological know- 

 ledge in South-polar regions. 2. Scientific research including 

 inquiry into the problems of physical geography, natural history, 

 and meteorology. 3. Investigation of the fishery-industry — 

 chiefly whale and seal. 



With regard to Baron Dickson's offer I append here an extract 

 reprinted from an article in the London Times of February 13th 

 last: — "Baron Oscar Dickson, of Gothenburg, Sweden, who is 



B— May 6, 1891. 



