PREFACE TO 'SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION'

By SIR CLEMENTS R MARKHAM, K.C.B.

Fourteen years ago Robert Falcon Scott was a rising naval officer, able, accomplished, popular, highly thought of by his superiors, and devoted to his noble profession. It was a serious responsibility to induce him to take up the work of an explorer; yet no man living could be found who was so well fitted to command a great Antarctic Expedition. The undertaking was new and unprecedented. The object was to explore the unknown Antarctic Continent by land. Captain Scott entered upon the enterprise with enthusiasm tempered by prudence and sound sense. All had to be learnt by a thorough study of the history of Arctic traveling, combined with experience of different conditions in the Antarctic Regions. Scott was the initiator and founder of Antarctic sledge-traveling. His discoveries were of great importance. The survey and soundings along the Barrier cliffs, the discovery of King Edward Land, the discovery of Ross Island and the other volcanic islets, the examination of the Barrier surface, the discovery of the Victoria Mountains - a range of great height and many hundreds of miles in length, which had only before been seen from a distance out at sea - and above all the discovery of the great ice cap on which the South Pole is situated, by one of the most remarkable Polar journeys on record. His small but excellent scientific staff worked hard and with trained intelligence, their results being recorded in twelve large quarto volumes.

The great discoverer had no intention of losing touch with his beloved profession though resolved to complete his Antarctic work. The exigencies of the naval service called him to the command of battleships and to confidential work of the Admiralty; so that five years elapsed before he could resume his Antarctic labors.

The object of Captain Scott's second expedition was mainly scientific, to complete and extend his former work in all branches of science. It was his ambition that in his ship there should be the most completely equipped expedition for scientific purposes connected with the Polar regions, both as regards men and material, that ever left these shores. In this he succeeded. He had on board a fuller complement of geologists, one of them especially trained for the study, of physiography, biologists, physicists, and surveyors than ever before composed the staff of a Polar expedition. Thus Captain Scott's objects were strictly scientific, including the completion and extension of his former discoveries. The results will be explained in the second volume of this work. They will be found to be extensive and important. Never before, in the Polar regions, have meteorological, magnetic and tidal observations been taken, in one locality, during five years. It was also part of Captain Scott's plan to reach the South Pole by a long and most arduous journey, but here again his intention was, if possible, to achieve scientific results on the way, especially hoping to discover fossils which would throw light on the former history of the great range of mountains which he had made known to science.

The principal aim of this great man - for he rightly has his niche among the Polar Dii Majores - was the advancement of knowledge. From all aspects Scott was among the most remarkable men of our time, and the vast number of readers of his journal will be deeply impressed with the beauty of his character. The chief traits which shone forth through his life were conspicuous in the hour of death. There are few events in history to be compared, for grandeur and pathos, with the last closing scene in that silent wilderness of snow. The great leader, with the bodies of his dearest friends beside him, wrote and wrote until the pencil dropped from his dying grasp. There was no thought of himself, only the earnest desire to give comfort and consolation to others in their sorrow. His very last lines were written lest he who induced him to enter upon Antarctic work should now feel regret for what he had done.

'If I cannot write to Sir Clements, tell him I thought much of him, and never regretted his putting me in command of the Discovery.'

       * * * * *

The following appointments were held in the Royal Navy by Captain Scott between 1905 and 1910:

  January to July, 1906 Admiralty (Assistant Director 
                     of Naval Intelligence.) 
  Aug. 21, 1906, to Jan. 1, 1907 Victorious (Flag Captain to 
                     Rear-Admiral Egerton, Rear-Admiral 
                     in the Atlantic Fleet). 
  Jan. 2, 1907, to Aug. 24, 1907 Albermarle (Flag Captain to 
                     Rear-Admiral Egerton, Rear-Admiral 
                     in the Atlantic Fleet). 
  Aug. 25, 1907, to Jan. 24, 1908 Not actively employed afloat 
                     between these dates. 
  Jan. 25, 1908, to May 29, 1908 Essex (Captain). 
  May 30, 1908, to March 23, 1909 Bulwark (Flag Captain to 
                     Rear-Admiral Colville, Rear-Admiral 
                     the Nore Division, Home Fleet).

Then Naval Assistant to Second Sea Lord of the Admiralty. Appointed to H.M.S. President for British Antarctic Expedition June 1, 1910.

On September 2, 1908, at Hampton Court Palace, Captain Scott was married to Kathleen, daughter of the late Canon Lloyd Bruce. Peter Markham Scott was born on September 14, 1909.

On September 13, 1909, Captain Scott published his plans for the British Antarctic Expedition of the following year, and his appeal resulted in £10,000 being collected as a nucleus fund. Then the Government made a grant of £20,000, and grants followed from the Governments of Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa.

Nine days after the plans were published arrangements were made to purchase the steamship Terra Nova, the largest and strongest of the old Scottish whalers. The original date chosen for sailing was August 1, 1910, but owing to the united efforts of those engaged upon the fitting out and stowing of the ship, she was able to leave Cardiff on June 15. Business, however, prevented Captain Scott from leaving England until a later date, and in consequence he sailed in the Saxon to South Africa, and there awaited the arrival of the Terra Nova.

BRITISH ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION, 1910

SHORE PARTIES
Officers
Name Rank, &c.
Robert Falcon Scott Captain, C.V.O., R.N.
Edward R. G. R. Evans Lieutenant, R.N.
Victor L. A. Campbell Lieutenant, R.N. (Emergency List)
Henry R. Bowers Lieutenant, R.I.M.
Lawrence E. G. Oates Captain 6th Inniskilling Dragoons.
G. Murray Levick Surgeon, R.N.
Edward L. Atkinson Surgeon, R.N., Parasitologist.
Scientific Staff
Edward Adrian Wilson B.A., M.B. (Cantab), Chief of the


                   Scientific Staff, and Zoologist.
George C. Simpson D.Sc., Meteorologist.
T. Griffith Taylor B.A., B.Sc., B.E., Geologist.
Edward W. Nelson Biologist
Frank Debenham B.A., B.Sc., Geologist.
Charles S. Wright B.A., Physicist.
Raymond E. Priestley Geologist.
Herbert G. Ponting F.R.G.S, Camera Artist.
Cecil H. Meares In Charge of Dogs.
Bernard C. Day Motor Engineer.
Apsley Cherry-Garrard B.A., Asst. Zoologist.
Tryggve Gran Sub-Lieutenant, Norwegian N.R.,


                   B.A., Ski Expert.
Men
W. Lashly Chief Stoker, R.N.
W. W. Archer Chief Steward, late R.N.
Thomas Clissold Cook, late R.N.
Edgar Evans Petty Officer, R.N.
Robert Forde Petty Officer, R.N.
Thomas Crean Petty Officer, R.N.
Thomas S. Williamson Petty Officer, R.N.
Patrick Keohane Petty Officer, R.N.
George P. Abbott Petty Officer, R.N.
Frank V. Browning Petty Officer, 2nd class, R.N.
Harry Dickason Able Seaman, R.N.
F. J. Hooper Steward, late R.N.
Anton Omelchenko Groom.
Demetri Gerof Dog Driver.
SHIP'S PARTY
Officers, &c.
Harry L. L. Pennell Lieutenant, R.N.
Henry E. de P. Rennick Lieutenant, R.N.
Wilfred M. Bruce Lieutenant, R.N.R.
Francis R. H. Drake Asst. Paymaster, R.N. (Retired),


                   Secretary and Meteorologist in Ship.
Denis G. Lillie M.A., Biologist in Ship.

James R. Dennistoun In Charge of Mules in Ship. Alfred B. Cheetham R.N.R., Boatswain. William Williams Chief Engine-room Artificer, R.N., 
                   2nd Engineer. William A. Horton Eng. Rm. Art. 3rd Class, R.N. 2nd Engineer. Francis E. C. Davies Leading Shipwright, R.N. Frederick Parsons Petty Officer, R.N. William L. Heald Late P.O., R.N. Arthur S. Bailey Petty Officer, 2nd Class, R.N. Albert Balson Leading Seaman, R.N. Joseph Leese Able Seaman, R.N. John Hugh Mather Petty Officer, R.N.V.R. Robert Oliphant Able Seaman. Thomas F. McLeod Able Seaman. Mortimer McCarthy Able Seaman. William Knowles Able Seaman. Charles Williams Able Seaman. James Skelton Able Seaman. William McDonald Able Seaman. James Paton Able Seaman. Robert Brissenden Leading Stoker, R.N. Edward A. McKenzie Leading Stoker, R.N. William Burton Leading Stoker, R.N. Bernard J. Stone Leading Stoker, R.N. Angus McDonald Fireman. Thomas McGillon Fireman. Charles Lammas Fireman. W. H. Neale Steward.