| Description | He is commanded by the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to acquaint the President of the Royal Society, as Chairman of the Joint Antarctic Committee, with reference to the further movements of the Antarctic Expedition, that they concur in the "Discovery's" return to England, should she get free, via the South Pacific and Cape Horn, and also in the utilisation of the expedition for the collection of such additional observations as may be possible without risking the detention of the ship.
The Lords, however, are not prepared to consent to the officers and men of the Navy employed in the "Discovery" being retained for further exploration in the ice, even if funds should be forthcoming, and directions will therefore be sent to Captain Scott that if the "Discovery" cannot be freed from the ice in time to ensure her return to open water, she is to be abandoned and her oficers and crew are to return home. |