Since the description of the activities of the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey for 1946–47 by Surgeon-Commander E. W. Bingham no general account of the Survey's activities has appeared in the Polar Record. The writer's connection with these activities dates from 1948, but in order to bring the story up to date, it is necessary to begin in 1947.

An account of surveying in the Falkland Islands Dependencies could be treated as just another description of surveying in one of the outlying parts of the Empire. There is one major difference in comparison with other Colonies, however, which affects the whole outlook and conduct of the survey. This is that in the part of the Dependencies with which we are concerned, namely Graham Land and the Islands to the north, there is no permanent human habitation and no regular means of communication.

I must refer briefly to the historical background of these surveys and the reason for their commission, especially the latter, as without a full understanding of the need and future use of a survey one cannot examine critically the methods used.

Next I shall describe the methods of survey that have been used, which will inevitably entail describing the type of country and various difficulties peculiar to the polar regions.

A summary of the accomplishments up to date will be very brief, as these are shown in the maps that have been published by the Directorate of Colonial Surveys and some of which will be on exhibition.

Finally I shall consider some proposals for future surveys in this territory.

The philatelic effusion of a desolate region is due to various causes—frequently political, often financial, sometimes philatelic, but rarely postal. It is therefore hardly surprising that the Antarctic should have produced a variety of material for the philatelist. Post offices have been established by governments in support of claims and counter-claims, by expeditions to help finance themselves, and even by individuals eager to obtain souvenirs; postal facilities have also been provided for men engaged in whaling and scientific work; in addition, there are many stamps which depict antarctic motifs suitable for inclusion in an antarctic “subject” collection. Selectively collected, philatelic material in these categories is of great interest and offers abundant variety and range.

In a recent issue of the Polar Record an account was given of the establishment by the Australian National Antarctic Research Expedition of research stations at Heard Island and Macquarie Island. These stations have now been in continuous operation for nearly three years, and the purpose of the following account is to summarize the progress made during this period.

Recently Soviet writers have claimed that Bellingshausen discovered the Antarctic mainland. The weakness of this argument when it is based upon Bellingshausen's own account of the voyage has been made clear in a previous note in this journal. The revival of interest has, however, brought to light several forgotten or hitherto unpublished eyewitness accounts and it is now possible to decide whether the authors held different views from Bellingshausen as to the discoveries made by the expedition.

In 1944 Vice-Admiral Sir John Edgell, K.B.E., C.B., F.R.S., then Hydrographer of the Navy, advised the British Government that in its contribution to research in oceanography this country had fallen seriously behind other countries, including many which had no comparable traditions of interest in the oceans and their navigation, and that an oceanographical institute should be set up in Great Britain. The subject was referred to the Royal Society, and the Oceanographical Sub-Committee of the National Committee for Geodesy and Geophysics showed itself, in a report which was accepted by the Society, to be strongly in favour of setting up a national oceanographical institute. It urged the primary need for researches of physical character because marine physical investigations had taken a secondary place to marine biology ever since the Challenger Expedition of 1872–76, and because the biological aspects were well looked after by existing authorities such as the Marine Biological Associations of the United Kingdom and Scotland, the Fisheries Laboratories at Lowestoft and Aberdeen, the Discovery Investigations, and marine biological laboratories associated with universities.