MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina's first century in Antarctica.

A century ago, January 2, 1904, Argentina officially took over the running of the Meteorological and Magnetic Observatory established by the Scottish Antarctic Expedition in the South Orkneys.

The event is being jointly commemorated by Argentina with the Royal Scottish Geographical Society and the National Museum of Scotland.

According to the Argentine Antarctic calendar the event marked the official beginning of Argentine permanent involvement in the Antarctic continent.

The observatory has since become the Antarctic scientific station with the longest uninterrupted presence of scientists and experts, a full century.

The base was originally founded by Scottish explorer William Bruce who in the late months of 1903 left six men of his expedition in the South Orkneys where he expected to return at the end of the summer season.

Actually he urgently needed coal and repairs for his vessel and with this purpose he first headed for the Falkland Islands, where apparently he was unsuccessful in convincing British authorities to fulfil his needs.

Mr. Bruce then sailed to Buenos Aires. In Argentina the response was more encouraging and then President Julio A. Roca signed an agreement by which Argentina took over the management and running of the South Orkney scientific station.

The Argentine flag first flew in the base on February 22, 1904.

Ciencias y Arte Patagonia, together with Scottish organizations has organized an itinerary exhibition of photos and documents of William Bruce expedition that will be first showed in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, beginning January 22.