Page:Polar Exploration - Bruce - 1911.djvu/198

194 publications had placed him in the van of European meteorologists. Mr. Mossman was supported by two other trained meteorologists—the author, who had had experience for nearly two years at both high and low level Ben Nevis observatories, and who had been in charge of the summit observatory for more than a year, besides having had previous meteorological training and experience, and Mr. D. W. Wilton, who had also worked as an observer at both Ben Nevis stations, and who had been in charge of a smaller observatory half-way up the Ben for some months.

Thus, not only were there three thoroughly trained meteorologists on board the Scotia, a condition of efficiency not approached by any other Antarctic expedition, but each one of the three had experience of taking observations amid conditions of continual ice and snow. One had had experience of taking meteorological observations during long periods both in the Antarctic and Arctic Regions, and a second had had experience of taking meteorological observations for fifteen months in the Arctic Regions. Besides these three, Captain Robertson had taken meteorological observations in the Arctic and Antarctic Regions during many voyages. These facts are mentioned to emphasize the importance of the Scotia meteorology, which has been enhanced by the fact