BURIAL OF SHACKLETON.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17393, 2 March 1922, Page 9

BURIAL OF SHACKLETON.

WELLINGTON TRIBUTES TO GREAT EXPLORER. ■, (srsciAi; to "rat mess.") WELLINGTON, March 1. A brief but impressive service in memory of Sir Erhest Shackleton washed here to-day. It was arranged by tho Merchant Service Guild, and conducted by tile Rev. Fielden Taylor. Speaking of Sir Ernest, Mr Taylor said: "We stand in thought around the open grave and we see lowered into the grave one who has marched along tl|e road of life, one who will go down through the ages of history as one of tho greatest of British heroes."- British saiiormeu had a proud record and Sir Ernest's name had been added to a long Kst of British heroes who had earned honours on the tempestuous seas. Sir Ernest was essentially a leader of men, and said Mr Taylor, . "I only wish I had the time to give you a fitting tribute to so groat a man. I have said that he was a leader. There are three outstanding qualities which made him a. leader. The first was.his dominant personality, and dominant personality is never an accident. The second was his terrific perseverance the mighty elements, and the'third was his unswerving determination. All these essential qualifications of a leader Sir Ernest Shackleton possessed to an. enormous extent, but above them all came his 16vc for his men. With him I think it> was alway his men first and himself last. To him fear and despair were unknown." In to-night's evening paper appears the following letter: 'To-dav on tho isolated, rpekbound island of South Georgia there will bo laid' to rest the body of Sir Ernest iShackleton, and I cannot let the day pass without paying a tribute to orie what has done much to make known the vast solitudes of the Antarctic-. It was many years ago (1903) that I, as a humble member of Scott's first expedition, brought back to civilisation Sir Ernest Shackleton, then a young man and third officer of the Discovery, invalided home. In 1907 ; tiie call of the South saw him in command of the Nimrod, and again lafer we had him sailing South in the Endeavour. It Was there he met with bad luck and with the ship crushed and sunk he sailed an open. boat through stormy seas 750 miles to South Georgia for help and was successful. :Tt is only fitting that his body should«*eek the last rest on |he scene of his famous boat voyage- So to-day I pen the'e few lines in memory of one of the great explorers —Ross, Scott, Shackleton —and wlio will follow to take up the work done by these famous seamen ? There in the solitude of the most southern inhabited island we leave him, but many friends and old shipmates in New Zealand will revere his memory. I am, etc., Arthur M. Pepper, late midshipman relief ship Morning, National Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904."