The Daily News. TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1916. SHACKLETON'S EXPEDITION.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 March 1916, Page 4

The Daily News. TUESDAY, MARCH 28, 1916. SHACKLETON'S EXPEDITION.

The wireless message received by the Governor yesterday from Lieut. Stenhouse, who is in charge of the Aurora, to tlie effect that he was about six hundred miles from the south end of New Zealand, will certainly arouse public interest, more particularly as the exact whereabouts of Sir Ernest Shackieton is! not known, and that Captain Mackintosh, with nine men, have been marooned in the vicinity of Cape Evans since May 0. There is always a large element of uncertainty as to what may happen to those who brave the terrors of the Antarctic rtgions, and no matter how mathematically accurate every detail may be planned, there is always the risk of the unexpected happening. This last expedition of Sir Ernest Shackieton has been no exception to the rule. It could not be foreseen that just at the time when Captain Mackintosh, five of the crew, and four scientists were ashore, a blizzard should drive the Aurora from her moorings and send her on a ten months' drift, with the result that the shore party are- stranded in the most inhospitable region in th e world; nor could it be expected that circumstances would arise to prevent the leader of the expedition being picked up, as arranged, at McMurdo Sound, thus necessitating the delay of a year before he and his party can return. The programme of action that was mapped out prior to the Aurora and Endurance starting for the inhospitable South seemed to have' provided for every contingency. It is not known whether Sir E. Shackieton succeeded in reaching the winter station on the Weddell Sea, which Lieut. Finchner established two years ago, nor is there any information available as to whether the Aurora readied McMurdo Sound, so that Sliackleton's movements are entirely a matter of speculation. While there appears to be 110 ground for alarm a3 to the safety of both Shackleton's and Mackintosh's parties, there is naturally a certain amount of anxiety consequent upon the uncertainty regarding food supplies and fuel. It is only reasonable to assume that the question of establishing fcod depots on shore was one of the first matters to receive attention, both by Sir Ernest Shackieton and Captain Mackintosh; moreover, hrge stocks of stores were left at various depots on the occasion of Captain Scott's expedition. Under any circumstances it would seem that a relief expedition will have to be despatched and its organisation is already receiving attention. On the arrival of the Aurora at Now Zealand shortly it is hoped that several matters will be cleared up. It is possible that Shackieton may get to Buenos Aires, but there is no means whereby Captain Mackintosh and his party can return except by a relief expedition, but we may rest assured they will bear their enforced absence from civilisation with courage, if not with contentment, always provided their food supplies hold out and that they can obtain fuel. Those who are lured to the

land of everlasting snows become inured to hardships of a nature that would crush most other men. We can hut hope that all is well with the missing explorers and that they will he brought back at the earliest possible moment—probably a year hence,