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Chapter II
Preparations and Equipment
ОглавлениеFoolhardy as the scheme appeared to some, it received powerful support from the Norwegian Government and the King of Norway. A bill was laid before the Storthing for a grant of £11,250 (200,000 kroner), or two-thirds of the estimated cost. The remaining third I hoped to be able to raise from private sources, as I had already received promises of support from many quarters.
On June 30, 1890, the amount demanded was voted by the Storthing, which thereby expressed its wish that the expedition should be a Norwegian one. In January, 1891, Mr. Thomas Fearnley, Consul Axel Heiberg, and Mr. Ellef Ringnes set to work to collect the further sum required, and in a few days the amount was subscribed.
His Majesty King Oscar gave £1125 (20,000 kroner), while private individuals in Norway gave as follows:
| £ | s. | d. | |
| Consul Axel Heiberg | 562 | 10 | 0 |
| Ditto (later) | 393 | 15 | 0 |
| Mr. Anton Chr. Houen | 1125 | 0 | 0 |
| Mr. A. Dick, Hövik | 281 | 5 | 0 |
| Ditto (later) | 393 | 15 | 0 |
| Mr. Thomas Fearnley (merchant) | 281 | 5 | 0 |
| Ditto (later) | 56 | 5 | 0 |
| Messrs. Ringnes & Co. (brewers) | 281 | 5 | 0 |
| Ditto (later) | 56 | 5 | 0 |
| Mr. A. S. Kjösterud (merchant), Drammen | 281 | 5 | 0 |
| Ditto (later) | 56 | 5 | 0 |
| Mr. E. Sundt (merchant), Bergen | 281 | 5 | 0 |
| Consul Westye Egeberg | 562 | 10 | 0 |
| Mr. Halver Schou | 281 | 5 | 0 |
| Baron Harald Wedel Jarlsberg and C. Iövenskiold, Minister of State | 562 | 10 | 0 |
| Consul Nicolay H. Knudtzon, Christiansund | 281 | 5 | 0 |
Among foreign contributors may be mentioned the Royal Geographical Society of London, which showed its sympathy with the undertaking by subscribing £300 sterling. Baron Oscar Dickson provided at his own cost the electric installation (dynamo accumulators, and conductors).
As the work of equipment proceeded, it appeared that the first estimate was not sufficient. This was especially due to the ship, which was estimated to cost £8437 10s. (150,000 kroner), but which came to nearly double that sum. Where so much was at stake, I did not think it right to study the cost too much, if it seemed that a little extra outlay could insure the successful result of the expedition. The three gentlemen who had taken the lead in the first collection, Mr. Thomas Fearnley, Consul Axel Heiberg, and Mr. Ellef Ringnes, undertook at my request to constitute themselves the committee of the expedition and to take charge of its pecuniary affairs. In order to cover a portion of the deficiency, they, together with certain members of the Council of the Geographical Society, set on foot another private subscription all over the country, while the same society at a later period headed a national subscription. By these means about £956 5s. was collected in all. I had further to petition the Norwegian Storthing for an additional sum of £4500, when our national assembly again gave proof of its sympathy with the undertaking by granting the amount named (June 9, 1890).
Finally Consul Axel Heiberg and Mr. Dick subscribed an additional £337 10s. each, while I myself made up the deficiency that still remained on the eve of our departure.
