THE GERMAN SOUTH POLAR EXPEDITION.

By WILLIAM S. BRUCE, F.R.S.G.S.

ON the 11th of August there set sail from Kiel an Expedition which bids fair to bring nothing but credit and renown to the great German Empire. Towards this Expedition, I am informed, the German Government has voted the sum of £100,000, or considerably more than twice the amount voted by the British Government for the British Expedition. There is no doubt that the Kaiser himself has been largely instrumental in inducing his Government to back up efficiently a project recognised, not only by the savants of Germany but also by those of the whole civilised world.

On the invitation of the "Reichsamt des Innern," as well as by the personal request of Professor Dr. Erich von Drygalski, the leader of the Expedition, I was present at the departure of the Gauss. I had previously become well acquainted with the ship and its outfit, as well as with the members of the scientific staff and the officers. One of the features of the German Expedition is the efficiency of its staff and the long and careful training its members have had. The appointment of the leader and staff was one of the first steps taken in the organisation of the Expedition, and the leader from the outset has been the chief organiser of the Expedition.

Professor von Drygalski is a scientific man of the highest rank, and, on account of several publications, is already of world-wide repute. Erich von Drygalski was born at Königsberg, in Prussia, on the 9th of February 1865, and received his education in Königsberg, Bonn, Leipzig, and Berlin. He graduated at Berlin in 1887, and attached himself to that University and Leipzig. He was especially associated with Professor Ferdinand Frhr. von Richthofen, who, it may be mentioned, has been one of the leading spirits in organising this Expedition. In 18911893 Drygalski successfully led the two Greenland Expeditions of the Gesellschaft für Erdkunde of Berlin, and was working at the results. of these till 1898, in the University of Berlin.

In this work he gained for himself a foremost place as a physical geographer and as a master of many of the problems connected with ice. In 1899 he was appointed Professor-extraordinary in Geography in the last-named University. As leader of the German Expedition we have therefore a man who has already won his spurs as a scientist, and one who, from practical experience, has an intimate knowledge of the work he has to undertake. That he is a leader of men, is already proved in his Greenland Expeditions and in his splendid organisation of the German South Polar Expedition and its staff. In spite of the many things to think of and to do at the last moment before the departure of the Gauss, von Drygalski remained cool, collected, and concentrated, and any one could see that this man, with all his geniality, was able to command the respect of every one in the ship's company.

Besides the leader there are four other members of the scientific

staff attached to the ship. These have each had about eighteen months to prepare themselves and to help in organising the equipment of their respective departments. Professor Dr. Ernst Vanhoeffen, of Kiel, who is already well known as a biologist, not only in connection with Kiel University but as a specialist in cœlenterata and in connection with his work on the collections of the German Greenland Expeditions already referred to. More recently, too, he has also come to the front as one of the naturalists of the German Deep Sea Expedition (Valdivia) under the direction of Professor Chun. Dr. Vanhoeffen sails as biologist, and his previous extensive experience makes him an expert in the work of such an Expedition. The other three, Dr. Philippi (geologist and chemist), Dr. Bidlingmaier (meteorologist and earth magnetist), and Dr. Gazert (medical officer and bacteriologist), are new to expedition work, but their previous careers and the long and careful training they have all undergone, make it certain that they will do their work well. As an example of the aptness and carefulness of the preparation, it may be mentioned that the geologist last year spent a considerable time in Scotland working up, under the guidance of Sir John Murray, the nature and distribution of deep-sea deposits, making a special study of those of the Valdivia.

The master of the ship is Captain Hans Ruser, of Hamburg. To him and four officers, including the first engineer, Mr. A. Stehr, are intrusted the management and navigation of the ship. Messrs. Lerche, Vasel, and Ott are respectively first and second officers, and there are twenty men forming the crew.

The Gauss, named after the great magnetist, is a three-masted topsail schooner. She is 151 feet between the perpendiculars, draws 18 feet, has 1450 tons displacement, and 300 indicated horse-power. The engines are auxiliary, ensuring a speed of seven knots. She has been built at Howaldt's works, Kiel, having been designed with the advice of the Construction Department of the Imperial Navy. Two objects were held in view in her construction, each being of equal importance, namely, that she should be sufficiently seaworthy to withstand the high seas and heavy weather of the South Atlantic and South Indian Oceans, and that she should be sufficiently strong for ice navigation. As I am familiar with both ships, it may not be uninteresting to offer a comparison between the Gauss and the Discovery. In general internal structure they strongly resemble one another, but in external appearance and in the arrangement of laboratories, saloon, and cabins the two ships are markedly different. The Gauss reminds one very forcibly of the Fram, though she has rather a fuller form than that vessel to make her the more seaworthy.

Each is strengthened with a system of internal supports and by three external plankings of oak, pitchpine, and greenheart, the latter being outside, as it polishes rather than tears when rubbed by ice. Inside the timbers is a fourth planking. In all, the thickness of the sides of the Gauss including timbers which are very closely placed, varies from 28 inches at the keel to 31 inches at the water-line. Like the Discovery, she is built especially for magnetic work, and has an area of

30 feet radius from the magnetical table, without any iron in the ship's structure, every bolt or fixing being of brass. In this respect both vessels are markedly different from that required for the Scottish Expedition, which emphasises oceanographical rather than magnetical work. The bow of the Gauss may be said to be spoon-shaped and in profile is convex in its entire extent, the perpendicular tangent not occurring till the jib-boom is reached. On the other hand, the bow of the Discovery is, if anything, rather more pointed, and in profile is convex in its lower portion and concave in its upper portion, the concavity commencing below the water-line. The stern of the Gauss is very similar to her bow and is deeper than in the Discovery, which has an elliptical stern, after the British naval pattern. The deeper stern will, I believe, prove to be more serviceable than the elliptical in ice navigation. On the whole, I should say the Gauss is the more ice-worthy and the Discovery the more seaworthy boat, and that in heavy pressure or in advancing through ice that the Gauss will rise more easily than the Discovery. Both ships are, however, untried, and it remains to be seen whether this conjecture is correct.

For scientific purposes the Gauss may be said to be divided into three parts: forwards biology, midships magnetism, and aft oceanography. She is three decked; first, the bridge and the after-bridge; secondly, the main deck; and thirdly, the 'tween decks. The bridge is T shaped, the perpendicular part of the T forming the roof of the main deck laboratory, gangway to 'tween decks, and chart-room. As is usual, the navigation of the ship is conducted from the bridge which also serves as the magnetical observatory. I believe, in severe weather, if the ship winters, it will be found necessary to have more protection against cold than is now afforded to the magnetist and his instruments. The object, however, in having the magnetical table here is to have it as far as possible away from the main mass of the ship. The after-bridge is just forward of the funnel over the stoke hole, and is to be used for sounding purposes-a Sigsbee machine being to port and Lucas to starboard. On the after-part of the fiddle a windmill is being erected for generating electricity, which can also be produced by steam-power. On the poop is a second steering compass and wheel, and the well for rudder and propeller. On the main deck partly under the foc'sle head is the winch and wire for dredging, trawling, netting, etc., the derrick being on the port bow just aft of it. Thus the forepart of the ship will be used mainly for biological operations. Then come three deck houses, two small ones to port and starboard supporting the transverse ends of the bridge and forming a lamp and store room, and 'midships extending as far aft as the mainmast is the third, which consists of the deck laboratory, gangway to 'tween decks, and chart-room. This house is 26 feet by 9 feet, and the anterior 18 feet of it forms the large laboratory well lighted with 8 port-holes and electric light. Here microscopic, chemical, physical, biological, and bacteriological research will be carried on, four or five men being easily accommodated at a time, and the laboratory being made comfortable by hot-water pipes. Entering the gangway between this laboratory and the chart-room one goes down below into the 'tween

decks. Immediately below the deck laboratory is found another one exactly similar in size, and used mainly for less delicate scientific work. Adjoining is the photographic dark room fitted up with all the modern requirements of photography. On each side and forward of this laboratory are the crew's quarters, while the saloon, scientific staff, and officers are accommodated 'midships, and on each side of the engine room and galley, just aft of the lower laboratory. In the after part of this section of the ship is a special room for oceanography, where all deep-sea instruments, thermometers, water-bottles, etc., are kept ready for use at a moment's notice. The rest of the vessel is used for storage purposes, coals and food taking up by far the greatest space. The dogs will be accommodated under the foc'sle head, and their food under the poop, where also alcohol and formolin find accommodation. Hydrogen in iron cylinders and other balloon material are stowed aft, and take up a great deal of room. It will be interesting to see how far a balloon can be worked from the ship. Besides dogs, buoys for nets, Hjort's net, paraffin, etc., form the deck cargo; two kites are also in readiness for immediate use for meteorological investigation.

A word as to living-accommodation, which again differs from that on board the Discovery. The men's quarters in each ship are forward and resemble one another. But those of the staff and officers differ; the Discovery having a central saloon with all the cabins opening into it, and the Gauss having the saloon separated from the cabins by a gangway on all sides save one, where, out of necessity, the first officer's cabin enters it. This reduces the size of the saloon but increases the amount of privacy for each of the members of the staff. Each cabin is fitted much the same in both ships. The saloon, though smaller than on the Discovery for the reason stated, is sufficiently roomy and tastefully decorated. It is pannelled; there are comfortable fixed couch seats, where the staff can sit or lounge, besides individual seats. Musical talent, so characteristic of the German race, is well represented, several members being able to sing well and play; there is a piano, guitar, and zither, and possibly other instruments may appear during the voyage; on the walls are portraits of the Kaiser, Gauss, Bismarck, and two tropical oil paintings. The library is extensive, in part round the saloon, in part on an upper shelf in the 'tween decks gangway. Prominent among the works of reference is a complete set of the Challenger Reports, presented to the Expedition by the British Government.

The work of the German Expedition will be divided into three parts; one carried out on board during the voyage, and the other on shore during the winter quarters, and the third at a station at Kerguelen. After leaving the Kiel canal and the mouth of the Elbe the Gauss will proceed by way of Cape St. Vincent and Ascension to Cape Town. Here, not unlikely, a meeting may take place with the Discovery, though the latter may arrive a few days earlier; after that the Gauss will steer for Kerguelen, the headquarters of the German Expedition; here von Drygalski expects to meet a transport ship that will bring Welsh coal supplied by the British Government, and fifty sledge dogs from Eastern Siberia; beside the staff and outfit for a scientific station to be established