SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2944, 2 December 1916, Page 6

SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON

REACHES WELLINGTON TO-DAY THE RELIEF EXPEDITION i AN INTERESTING SITUATION. Sir Ernest Shaekleton, who is expected to roach Wellington to-day on tho San Francisco steamer, has hurried from South America in order to prowed to the relief of members of his expedition, who have been marooned in the Antartie since May of last year. It will ho remembered that some months ago a local advisory committee, acting with the authority of the British, Australian, and New Zealand Governments, appointed Captain J. K. Davis to com : mand the ship Aurora on the relict voyage. Tho Aurora is one of the ships acquired bv Sir Ernest Shaekleton for his expedition, and it does not appear that ho has vet stated his-approval ot the arrangement made by the committee. Tho situation has some elements of mystery, and the arrival of the fanious explorer has heei, awaited with a great deal of interest. The rescue of tho men left on the M'Murdo Sound coast last year is tno final phase of an ill-rated expedition. Sir Ernest Shacklefon's original plan was to make a journey right across tho Antarctic Continent. He proposed to make a landing on the unknown coast of the Wcddell Sea, in the . South American sector of the Antarctic, and march to the South Pole across 800 or SIOO miles of unexplored territory. Inen he would continue his journey to'the Boss Sea coast, along the route that he pioneered in 1008-09. This meant a sledging journey of at least 1/00 miles across the stark and sullen solitudes, of the Antarctic .Continent. It was probably tho most dangerous venture in the history of polar exploration, since there would be no place or rest, no food, audi no shelter on the whole march. Every ounce of food and every article of equipment would have to be carried by the explorers, and after the initial stages of tho journev there would be scarcely any possibility -of retreat. . T» 8 . nenaltv of failure, or of \ delay, would be death, since no human being couldln,e through a winter in the interior of the Antarctic Continent. ... The history of the expedition can bo stated briefly. Sr Ernest Shaekleton a quired two s ships, the Endurance and Aurora. Tho Endurance was to cany his party and himself to the Wcddell La,\nithem at a suitable powt on the then undiscovered .coast, andequip a base camp, from winch he could start on the overland journey. The Auroia was \o land a' party. on the Ross Sea coast, on tho opposite side of the Antarctic Continent, and some members of this party were to push inland to meet Sir Ernest Shaekleton, in case he and his companions needed assistance over the final stages ot. the journey, lho plan appeared complete, but the execution was unfortunate. Tho two ships went south in 1914, and tho IDUIn season proved a peculiarly seve o one The Endurance pushed south m the Wcddell Sea;and discovered some I new land connecting .Coat's Land v.itn I See Leopold Land... But the ship was caught in the dnit ice and after a lon- struggle was crushed in Novemhe 1915. - Sir Ernest Shaekleton- and ihe'members of his crew wi h open boats and a scanty supply of piousio«s, made their way. '2 floes and open water to Elephant Island, at the north-east end ol the I"South Shetland Group. Elephant Island is a mere desolate fragment of ice-bound rock, 'and tho Antarctic winter was sett hug dov£ with its long months of darkness. '.feuErnest Shaekleton and'tour companions started for South Georgia m one, of the ship's boats. They had to- cross TOO miles of tempestuous ocean, but after one of the most adventurous boat voyages on record they gained their goal" They landed.on the southern coast of South' Georgia, crossed the unexplored mountains of that snow-clad Sand, and reached a whaling station, whence they could get a pas sage to the Falkland Islands, News of-tho-fate of the Endurance reached _lhe Mioritt ?rom the Falldands, and the Brit si. Admiralty began preparations foi to dispatch of a ship to the rescue of iho men still on Elephant Island. But Si E-nest Shaekleton borrowed a small vessel from a South American Government, and after two unsuccessful-at-tempts to push, through the ice Roes in the gathering darkness, he reached Elephant Island and rescued his crew In the meantime the Aurora had got into ' trouble .in , tho Ross Sea The ship reached M'Murdo Sound at the beginning of last year, and the party proceeded at onco to establish a base and prepare for the work that had been assigned them. Early in March Captain Mackintosh and five men went south on a preliminary sledging journey. This party did not return, and its fate was causing anxiety when on May 6 the ship was swept out of M'Murdo Sound by a blizzard, leaving four other men ashore. The Aurora did not get back to the sound. ' She ' drifted about the Ross Sea in tho ice for many months, and when at last sho got free, in tho autumn of this year, the season was well advanced. Lieutenant Stenhouse, who had assumed command in the absence of Captain Mackintosh, brought tlie damaged ship to Port Chalmers. The winter had to pass beforo the Aurora could, go south again, and in the meantime repairs were required and stores had to lie provided.' It was at this stage that the Governments took action.- Sir Ernest Shaekleton had not yet returned from the Weddell Sea, and his situation was uncertain. The British, Australian, and Now Zealand Governments undertook to fit the Aurora for the relief voyage, and they created an advisory committee in New Zealand. This committee supervised the repairing and equipping of the Aurora. Then some mouths ago, after Sir Ernest Shackleton had reached the Falkland Islands, and while lie was rescuing tho Elephant Island party, it was announced that Captain J. K. Davis had been appointed to command the Aurora. The relief expedition, according to the official statement, had nothing to do with Sir Ernest Shaekleton. Tho recent developments in connection with the expedition have not been explained publicly. Tho Governments havo not formally taken control of tho Aurora, and apparently she is still Sir Ernest Sliackloton's ship, despite tho expenditure of some, public money upon her. It is understood that Lientonaut Stenhouse has declined, in tho absence of his leader, to relinquish the command in favour of Captain Davis. Captaiu Davis was a member of Sir Ernest Shackleton's first expedition, and the. navigator of tho Mawson Expedition. His qualifications for the command of an Antarctic expedition are undoubted, but the people who have interested themselves in. this matter ask why the paramount claims of Sir Ernest Shaekleton himself should be overlooked by the Governments. Apparently tho idea of tho authorities at present is that Captain Davis should command the Aurora and the leader of the expedition should take ehargo of any sledging operations that may prove necessary after tho arrival of the Aurora- in M'Murdo Sound.