A STRANGE POSITION

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2895, 6 October 1916, Page 6

A STRANGE POSITION

« COMMAND OF THE AURORA , SIR ERNEST SHACKLLETON SUPERSEDED A strange state of affairs has arisen in connection with the arrangements for the dispatch of a ..relief ship to .the 'Ross Sea to pick up tho marooned members of the Shackleton Antarctic Expedition. Tho Minister of Marine (Hon. Dr. M'Nah) announced on Tuesday that the British, Australian, and New Zealand Governments had decided to place Captain John K. Davis in command of tho Aurora, .and send him south to tho relief of the explorers in December. "Tho Aurora is being sent out as a relief ship," said tho Minister, "and has no connection whatever with the Shackleton Expedition, except that the ship goes' to relieve some of Shackleton's men.". But apparently Sir Ernest Shackleton has not been informed that the control of the final stage of his expedition has been taken out of his hands, and he is proceeding from South America to New Zealand with the intention of taking command of tho Aurora himself. The official statements do not explain why an appointment, has been made over his head. It will be remembered that when Sir Ernest Shackleton planned his expedition, prior to the outbreak of war, he secured two ships, the Endeavour and the Aurora. The Endeavour was to land him on tho Wcddell Sea coast, and the Aurora was to meet him at JPMurdo Sound, on the opposite side of the Antarctic continent, wheii ho ?iad completed the great journey ho Tiad in contemplation. The plans miscarried completely, through" no apparent fault of the leader himself. The Endeavour did not reach the coast in tho Weddell Sea, and was finally lost in the Ice, the explorer being forced to make a perilous journey by boat to Elephant Island. Thence Sir Ernest Shacltlcton, with extraordinary daring, navigated an- opeh.boat over one of tho most tempestuous seas in the >6rld to the Falkland Islands. He got assistance from Chile, and on his. third attompt succeeded in rescuing the men whom lie had left on Elephant Island. Tho Aurora, in tho meantime; had got into trouble in the Ross Sea, with tho result that she mado her way hack to Tfcw Zealand in a damaged 'condi- . leaving some members of her party ashore in M'Murdo Sound. Tho ship has been repaired in Port Chalmers, the British, Australian, and New Zealand Governments sharing tho cost, and is now-ready to proceed south directly the season permits her to enter tlio region of ice. It probably will not .be advisable for her to leave New Zealand before Christmas, and in the meantime Sir Ernest Shackleton can oasilv reach this country. .His wido oxperienco oF Antarctic navigation gives him exceptional qualifications for tho work that has to bo done. Cap-, tain Davis, who was his comrade in the oxpedition of 1907-09, when Sir Ernest Shackleton pioneered tho way to the Pole, is perhaps tho only other 'man who could claim equal qualifications. But on tlic face of it, the command of th'o Aurora belonged by right to tho leader of tho expedition, who probably would not have needed tho financial assistance of the Governments at all but for sheer ill-luck, resulting in the upsetting of all his plans. CAPTAIN DAVIS'S PAST WORK. AURORA'S OFFICERS WANT . • CAPTAIN STENHOUSE. ' By Telegraph—Press Association. Dlinetlin, October 5. The committees appointed in connection with the Aurora Relief Expedition, after. careful consideration of tho question of tho command of tho expedition, considered that tho most expercoiced man should bo selected. Thoy considered that with Captain Davis, in command and Captain Stonhouso as' chief officer, the chances of success would be enhanced. The committees all agreed with the respective Governments to offer tho position of commander of tho Ross Sea Relief Expedition and of the Aurora to Captain Davis. Tho Australian Transport Service Department having arranged to relievo him, ho accepted tho appointment. 'Captain, Davis -was, during Shackloton's Expedition in 1907 to 1910, chief officer of the Nimrod, and was afterwards promoted to captain, and made trips to Ross S'ea. He also commanded the Aurora during Mawsou's Expedition, and conspicuous meritorious - work on these occasionswon for him a special award of tho "Royal Geographical Society. . Ho also wears tho Polar Medal from the British Government. Captain Davis received a cablegram, (when at Now York, where he was in command of the transport Boonah) from tho Admiralty appointing him to, tho relief ship Discovery, and command of the Elephant Island Expedition, with orders _to report without delay at' the Admiralty, London. This appointment was cancelled before ho could leave New York, as Sir Ernest Shackleton obtained another vessel with which ho expected to effect the rescue..-

In a'letter to the Mayor of Dunedin, Messrs. Hookc, Donnelly, and Thomson, tlie threo remaining officers on tho Aurora, expressed appreciation of the services of Captain Stenhouse to tho expedition, and protested, against the action taken in superseding his command. They state that a senso of loyalty to Captain Stonhouse and tho marooned party kept a t]]em from participating in the European crisis, but they will reluctantly feel hound to withdraw their services from the relief of comrades in distress, and leave it to strangers if the authorities "insist on superseding the present commander. They also take exception to tho discourteous, manner in which the alteration, was conveyed to a captain whom they know to ho a worthy leader in danger and difficulty, after ten months' hardships in tho Antarctic.