However, the Joint Committee had, with Markham's acquiescence, secured the appointment of John Walter Gregory, Professor of Geology at the University of Melbourne and former assistant geologist at the British Museum, as the expedition's scientific director.
Med Markhams godkendelse havde komiteen imidlertid allerede udnævnt John Walter Gregory, geologiprofessor ved University of Melbourne og tidligere assisterende geolog ved British Museum, til ekspeditionens videnskabelig leder.