THE AURORA SAILS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2957, 21 December 1916, Page 6

THE AURORA SAILS

FOR ROSS SEA '

NO FAREWELL CEREMONY

By Telegraph—Press Association,

Dunedin, December 20.

Without ceremony, the Antarctic relief ship Aurora cast olf from the Port Chalmers Wharf at 9 o'clock ttis morning, and loft on her journey io the Ross Sea.

The Hon. Dr. M'Nab was present. As the little vessel left, hearty cheers w*ro exchanged between those on hoard and the spectators.

In the course of a statement regarding the Aurora, Dr. M'Nab said that before it was known that Sir Ernest Shackleton would be- available the three Governments concerned, the British, Australian, and New Zealand, had decided that Captain Davis was to have command. Captain Davis bad already been offered the command of a relieving ship by. the Admiralty authorities prior to coming to Australian waters, and the Imperial Government laid great stress upon Captain Davis being in command, and Captain Davis had airanged for bis officers accordingly. When Sir Ernest Shackleton arrived, and found what had been done, ho, in loyalty to Captains Stenbouse and Worsley, was unable to at onco fall in with +be_ arrangements, but, seeing the position, these two officers generously came forward and relieved Shackleton of tho necessity of considering their claims. The New Zealand Government regretted, exceedingly that Captain Stenhouse bad been prevented by circumstances from taking back the Aurora. The Minister paid the highest tribute to the abilities of both Captains Stenhouse and Davis. The Minister says it is understood that Captains Stenbouse and Worsley are going Homo to offer their services, to the Admiralty. Dr. M'Nab added, that tho British Government was paying half the cost of this expedition, the Australian and New Zealand Governments paying the other half on a population basis. THE POINT AT ISSUE / SIR ERNEST SHACKLE-TON'S POSITION. The discussions that took place concerning the control of the Aurora were of a difficult nature, and there was reason to fear at one stage that a deadlock would be reached. Happily this was averted, owing to the readiness of Sir Ernest Shackleton to hasten the dispatch ■of the relief ship even at some -personal sacrifice. The point of friction was outside Now Zealand, and before leaving Wellington Sir Ernest Shackleton spoke in very appreciative terms of the generous treatment he had received at the hands of tho Dominion Ministers.

AVhen Sir Ernest Shackleton arrived in New Zealandat the beginning of this month, the joint Governments had already appointed Captain J. K. Davis to the command of tho relief expedition, and had spent a large sum of money on the refitting and supplying of the Aurora. The Imperial Government, the chief party in tho arrangement, desired that, as public money was being used, Captain Davis' should retain the command. Sir Ernest Shackleton knew the high qualifications ' of Captain Davis, who had been his/ comrade on the expedition of 1907-09; and had no objeotion to the arrangement, on that score. He considered that Lieutenant Stenhouse, w"ho brought the Aurora back from ■'tho Antarctic, had been treated unfairly by the Governments, tot ho kjiew that his officers, like himself, were/prepared to put _persoual considerations aside. He .insisted, however, th/at in justice to his expedition tho 1 intoiitions of the Governments must be defined clearly, and it was hero that the hitch arose.. ,

The position was rather strar/se. Tho .Aurora was, and is, Sir Ernest.Sl'iackleton's.ship, ffho joint Governments had taken possession in hip absence and had prepared the shin f/or/ the relief voyage to tho Ross Se/i. •it being' belifived at the tinw that/ tho leader of the expedition could not/get to NewZealand soon enoiiKh to -l/ake part in the relief work. Sir Ernest was willing to fall in with tho/ arrangement and go south practically as a passenger in his own ship, provided that tho vessel was handed baclc'to, him without liability on her return to New ZpaInud. But if 'there was to lie any liability—that is, if ho was to be charged with tho cost of tlite reHef expeditionthen he preferred/ to exercise control throughout. _ His legal rights, as owner of the shin, do not appear to been disputed. The point was finally settled, after delay, when the Imperial Govern'mont concurred in the view of the New Zealand and .Australian Governmer/ts, ' that' tho ' Aurora should he handed'over to Sir Ernest Shackleton withou't reservation immediately on her Tetfivni to this country.