Robert Falcon Scott Markham's first choice as leader but, having decided on him, the older man's support remained constant. There were committee battles over the scope of Scott's responsibilities, with the Royal Society pressing to put a scientist in charge of the expedition's programme while Scott merely commanded the ship. Eventually, however, Markham's view prevailed; Scott was given overall command, and was promoted to the rank of commander before "Discovery" sailed for the Antarctic on 6 August 1901. King Edward VII, who showed a keen interest in the expedition, visited the Discovery the day before the ship left British shores in August 1901,
Terra Nova (ship) Sound. On return to the UK, expedition leader Commander Robert Falcon Scott was promoted to the rank of captain. On return from the Antarctic "Terra Nova" was purchased by the American millionaire, William Ziegler and placed under the command of a Norwegian, Captain Johan Kjeldsen. She sailed to the Arctic to return members of the US Fiala/Ziegler expedition from Franz Josef Land to Norway. This expedition had lost its ship "America", crushed by ice, during an attempt to reach the North Pole. After returning to Newfoundland in 1906, "Terra Nova" resumed sealing duties with her owners, C.T. Bowring & Co.