BOUND SOUTH

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 68, 13 December 1933, Page 11

BOUND SOUTH

Byrd Expedition Departs AN AUSPICIOUS START Leader’s Tribute to Agent Bound for the Ross Sea and the Bay of Whales at the eastern end of the great Antarctic Ice Barrier, RearAdmiral R. E. Byrd and his men sailed from Wellington yesterday morning in the steamship Jacob Ruppert. It was an auspicious start on the great adventure, which is taking 80odd men, with 147 dogs and the most complete equipment ever assembled for a polar expedition, on a long and lonely voyage through ice-bound seas. The weather was fine and calm with every appearance of remaining so until the ship was clear of the New Zealand coast, thus giving everyone time to “shake down” in preparation for the stormy latitudes about the Antarctic Circle. 1 The only excitement about the departure was on the part of the dogs, who clearly sensed that sailing time was come and showed it by frequent noisy choruses of barking in wliich all took part. The last man was on board by 8 o’clock and the lines were let go, the ship swinging out stern first ensuring that no harm came to the great Condor seaplane whose blue fuselage and wide-spreading red wings towered high above the after end of the. vessel. Once clear of the wharf the Jacob Ruppert went ahead and started down the harbour, her company waving to the little group of friends and other sightseers who had assembled to bid her farewell.

Nearing Point Halswell the Jacob Ruppert passed the Eastbourne ferry steamer Muritai, whose passengers lined the rail and gave Admiral Byrd and his men three hearty cheers, which were replied to by those who had not gone to breakfast on board the departing ship. The Jacob Ruppert gave three parting blasts on her whistle, and the Muritai responded.

To a representative of “The Dominion” on board the Jacob Ruppert as she sailed, Rear-Admiral Byrd reiterated his pleasure at the cordial reception given his party, and expressed his thanks for the many kindnesses and privileges extended to them during their stay at Wellington. Many people had worked whole-heartedly for the expedition during the last week; and to one and all he returned his grateful thanks.

Rear-Admiral Byrd, paid a special tribute to the arduous and ungrudging service rendered to the expedition by its Wellington agent, Mr, T. J. Gardiner, of Gardiner, Binnie, and Halliburton, whose experience in Antarctic expedition work an dwide knowledge or shipping routine had been of inestimable value. Admiral Byrd said hie owed Mr. Gardiner and his staff a great debt of gratitude. Mr. Gardiner’s connection with Antarctic expeditions dates back some 30 odd years. As a member of the staff of Kinsey and Company, of Christchurch and Lyttelton, Mr. Gardiner had much to do with the British National Antarctic Expedition led by Captain R. F. Scott, R.N., in 1901-04, with Sir Ernest Shackleton’s expedition of 1907-08, and with Captain Scott’s expedition of 1910-13, and also with Sir Douglas Mawson’s expedition in 1912-13. Mr. Gardiner is well versed in the multifarious problems asciated with the organisation of such expeditions, and his experience has been of the greatest value to RearAdmiral Byrd, for whom he acted as Wellington agent in 1928-29.