Skip to main content

Home

Main navigation

  • Explore the collection
    • Search the collection: RecordSearch
      • What's in the collection
      • Defence and war service records
      • First Australians
      • Immigration and citizenship
      • Cabinet
      • Intelligence and security
      • Prime ministers
      • Search for people
      • Visit our other websites
      • #ArchivesAtHome
      • Stories from the archives
  • Help with your research
      • Getting started
      • What's in the collection
      • Using the collection
      • International movement records
      • Research centres
      • Research guides
      • Research grants and scholarships
      • Research agents
      • Ask us about the collection
  • Students and teachers
      • School visits
      • Learning resources
      • Competitions and special programs
  • Information management
      • Getting started
      • Building trust in the public record
      • Public release schedule
      • Ask for advice
      • Information governance
      • Build data interoperability
      • Check-up survey
      • Legislation
      • Manage information assets
      • GAIN Australia
      • Standards
      • Metadata
      • Records authorities
      • Learning and skills
      • Information Awareness Month 2023
  • Visit us
      • Events and exhibitions
      • Research centres
      • Our locations
      • Cafe Constitution
      • Venue hire
      • Contact us
  • About us
      • What we do
      • Support us
      • Employment
      • Who we are
      • Partnerships
      • Volunteer
      • Our services
      • Members
      • Media and publications
      • Contact us
  • Toggle search
  • Toggle menu

Offscreen Menu

Menu

MAIN MENU

  • Explore the collection
    • What's in the collection
    • Defence and war service records
    • First Australians
    • Immigration and citizenship
    • Cabinet
    • Intelligence and security
    • Prime ministers
    • Search for people
    • Visit our other websites
    • #ArchivesAtHome
    • Stories from the archives
  • Help with your research
    • Getting started
    • What's in the collection
    • Using the collection
    • International movement records
    • Research centres
    • Research guides
    • Research grants and scholarships
    • Research agents
    • Ask us about the collection
  • Students and teachers
    • School visits
    • Learning resources
    • Competitions and special programs
  • Information management
    • Getting started
    • Building trust in the public record
    • Public release schedule
    • Ask for advice
    • Information governance
    • Build data interoperability
    • Check-up survey
    • Legislation
    • Manage information assets
    • GAIN Australia
    • Standards
    • Metadata
    • Records authorities
    • Learning and skills
    • Information Awareness Month 2023
  • Visit us
    • Events and exhibitions
    • Research centres
    • Our locations
    • Cafe Constitution
    • Venue hire
    • Contact us
  • About us
    • What we do
    • Support us
    • Employment
    • Who we are
    • Partnerships
    • Volunteer
    • Our services
    • Members
    • Media and publications
    • Contact us

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that the National Archives' website and collection contain the names, images and voices of people who have died.

Some records include terms and views that are not appropriate today. They reflect the period in which they were created and are not the views of the National Archives.

A room with desk and chairs and cataloged books shelved on bookcases around the room.

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Learning resource themes
  3. Australia and the world
  4. Antarctica
  5. Antarctic expedition – sailing orders for Douglas Mawson from Prime Minister Stanley Bruce

Antarctic expedition – sailing orders for Douglas Mawson from Prime Minister Stanley Bruce

Prime Minister Bruce's sailing order to Sir Douglas Mawson.

Secret orders given to Sir Douglas Mawson containing the phrase 'You will plant the British flag wherever you find it practicable to do so' - page 1.

Prime Minister Bruce's sailing order to Sir Douglas Mawson.

Secret orders given to Sir Douglas Mawson containing the phrase 'You will plant the British flag wherever you find it practicable to do so' - page 2.

Details

Learning resource record

Creator:

Prime Minister Bruce and Department of External Affairs

Date:

1929

Citation:

A461, N413/1

Keywords:

  • expedition
  • Douglas Mawson
  • Stanley Melbourne Bruce
  • United Kingdom

Transcript

[Page 1]

[Handwritten heading in blue ink:] Sailing Orders

SECRET. [Underlined.]

Being in all respects ready for sea, and having embarked all necessary personnel, equipment and stores, you are to leave Capetown on October 15th or at the earliest possible date thereafter, and proceed to Kerguelen Island, calling at the Crozet Islands at your discretion. Having completed coaling at Kerguelen Island you will proceed to the western extremity of Queen Mary Land (west of Mount Gauss), calling at Heard Island en route if you deem it advisable to do so. From thence you will cruise westward to Enderby Land following the coast or ice barrier as circumstances permit to longitude 45 [degrees] east, and, at your discretion, if conditions are favourable, to 40 [degrees] east. You will then cruise back along the coast eastward to Kemp Land and then to Queen Mary Land and Knox Land, subject to any change of course which you may find it necessary to make either by reason of coaling requirements or otherwise. When conditions make further cruising in Antarctic regions impracticable you will proceed to Australia, calling first at such port in the Commonwealth as may be most convenient.

You will use your best endeavours to make a hydrographic survey of the coast and its contiguous waters between the western extremity of Queen Mary Land and Enderby Land at 45 [degrees]/40 [degrees] east, such survey to comprise the correct

 

[Addressed:] To Sir Douglas Mawson,

Commander of the British, Australian and

New Zealand Antarctic Expedition,

His Majesty’s Research Ship “Discovery”.

 

[Page] 2.

location and charting of coasts, islands, rocks and shoals.

On such lands or islands within the area specified in the preceding paragraph you will plant the British flag wherever you find it practicable to do so, and in doing so you will read the proclamation of annexation as set out in Annexure A to these Sailing Orders, attach a copy of the proclamation to the flagstaff, and place a second copy of the proclamation in a tin at the foot of the flagstaff. [The following sentence is marked with handwritten square brackets.] You will keep a record of each act of annexation in the form set out in Annexure B.

[The following paragraph is emphasised with a large bracket in the margin.] During the course of the Expedition you will carry out to the best of your ability all scientific work and investigations which it is practicable for you to do in respect of all the matters falling within the competence of the scientific staff which has been selected to accompany you, comprising, amongst other things, meteorological and oceanographic observations and investigations concerning the fauna, notably whales and seals, of the seas and lands visited by you, and all matters connected therewith which may assist in the future economic exploitation of such fauna. All written records made, and all specimens of whatever sort taken and preserved, and all negatives and photographs made during the course of the Expedition, will be the property of the Expedition, and you will be responsible that no improper use is made of them by any member of the Expedition. [End emphasis bracket.]

On your arrival in Australia you will furnish the Commonwealth Government with a full report of the work which you have carried out in respect of each and all of the objects of the Expedition as set out above.

The receipt of these Sailing Orders is to be acknowledged.

[Handwritten signature:]  (Sgd) S. M. BRUCE

Prime Minister.

18th September, 1929.

 

[Handwritten initials ‘WH.’ In bottom left corner, dated ’12-IX-29’.]

Related themes

Theme

Seven huskies towing a dogsled carrying two people and their supplies across.

Antarctica

Australia is responsible for part of the coldest, windiest and least hospitable continent in the world, as well as some of the ground-breaking scientific research that takes place there.

Theme

A camel train including three camels being led by a mounted rider.

Animals

Australia’s unique native animals are a result of geographic isolation. Discover records about the native and introduced animals that call Australia home and our relationships with them.

Theme

A farmer examines parched earth on bottom of a dried-up dam.

Weather and climate

Find out how the government has studied weather and climate in Australia and what techniques have been proposed to control extreme weather events.

Theme

Gough Whitlam - Addressing the National Press Club.

Prime ministers and politicians

Discover records about past prime ministers and politicians and the major events and policies of their governments.

Theme

Tennis player, Evonne Goolagong Cawley.

Pioneering Australians

Pioneering Australians have earned respect as artists, sportspeople, explorers, scientists and inventors. Others worked tirelessly for humanitarian or environmental causes or against unjust laws.

Theme

HRH Queen Elizabeth the 2nd and Sir Robert Menzies

Europe and the United Kingdom

Discover records about Australia’s relationships with European nations.

Theme

A mini car on tracks at Wilkes Base - Antarctic 1965.

Inventions and research

Many inventive Australians have shared their ideas, plans and prototypes with the government, from Dr Victor Chang’s heart valve to the Hills Hoist rotary clothesline.

Need help with your research?

Learn how to interpret primary sources, use our collection and more.

Get help

Acknowledgement of Country

The National Archives of Australia acknowledges the traditional owners and custodians of Country throughout Australia and acknowledges their continuing connection to land, sea and community. We pay our respects to the people, their cultures and Elders past, present and emerging.

Connect with us

  • Facebook Facebook
  • Twitter Twitter
  • YouTube YouTube
  • Instagram Instagram

Subscribe to our newsletter

Site map

  • Contact us

    • +61 2 6212 3600
    • archives@naa.gov.au
    • ABN: 36 889 228 992
  • For researchers

    • RecordSearch
    • What's in the collection
    • Using the collection
    • Ask us a question about our records
    • Getting started with your research
    • Research guides
    • Grants and scholarships
    • Our other websites
  • For government

    • Agency Service Centre
    • Check-up survey
    • Building trust in the public record policy
    • Getting started with information management
    • Information governance
    • Records authorities

    For students & teachers

    • School programs
    • Plan a school visit
    • Competitions and special programs
    • Learning resources
  • Shop

    • Browse our products

    Visit us

    • Admission to the Archives is free
    • Events and exhibitions
    • Research centres
    • Our locations
  • About us

    • What we do
    • Our organisation
    • Our services
    • Our history
    • Partnerships
    • Work for us
National Archives of Australia
  • Privacy
  • Freedom of information
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility
National Archives of Australia