The Scottish national Antarctic expedition (1902–04) and the founding of Base Orcadas

Abstract

The history of the establishment of the scientific research station on Laurie Island, South Orkney Islands, is recounted. Its founding by the Scottish National Antarctic (Scotia) Expedition and the subsequent operation by Argentina resulted in it becoming the first all-year-round permanently-staffed research facility in Antarctica. The networks of government and non-government personnel involved in the rivalry between British and Scottish interests and aspirations and the transfer of the LaurieIsland facility from the Scottish expedition to Argentine government control are investigated. The narrative is set against the background of the centennial celebrations of that transfer.

Early meteorological records from Corrientes and Bahía Blanca, Argentina: Initial ACRE‐Argentina data rescue and related activities

“…Robert Mossman, a famed Scottish explorer, member of SNAE and meteorologist trained the first ever Antarctic weather observers, Argentine citizens, thus beginning the permanent year‐round human presence in the south polar region (Davies, 1905; Swinney, 2007). He then settled in Argentina, a prominent member of the OMA, later Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (SMN), leading a distinguished career both in the advancement of Argentina's Meteorological Service as well as in meteorological research, providing a generalized view of the three major atmospheric circulation cells and the positions of the subtropical high and low pressure systems around Antarctica.…”

The Scottish National Antarctic Expedition, 1902–1904: reconstructing the missing geological report

“…The transfer had inevitable repercussions for British-Argentine territorial rivalry in the region, with the best assessment of these probably still that by Christie (1951, see especially 266-267). These circumstances and the lack of any formal recognition of the expedition's achievementsbitterly resented by Brucehave been subsequently discussed extensively elsewhere (Bernstein 1985;Speak 1992Speak , 2003Swinney 2007;Dudeney & Sheail 2014) and will not be revisited. Instead, this paper traces the intended geological content of Volume Eight in the post-expedition, Scotia scientific report series, publication of which was abandoned at a late stage.…”