SHACKLETON'S DASH.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 194, 21 September 1914, Page 4

SHACKLETON'S DASH.

SAILING OF THE EXPEDITION.

THE TWO DIVISIONS.

By Cable.—Press Association. —Copyright. LONDON, September 18. Sir Ernest Shackleton's expedition/ has sailed in two parties. Sir Ernest Shackleton, with 70 dogs and motor sledges, has gone to. Buenos Ayres,

whence he will sail for the Weddei Sea in the steamei-Endurance. The Rosa Sea party. has gone to Hobart.

PROGRAMME OF THE EXPEDITION.

Sir Ernest Shackleton told an English interviewer that the expedition will leave Buenos Ayres early in October, 1914, and push to the Antarctic, reaching if possible 78 degrees south latitude, where a good landing-place was discovered by the German expedition. If the ice conditions are favourable, and it is possible to reach ¥8 degrees south and make a good landing by the beginning of November, the shore party will land and proceed immediately across. Once the Pole is attained from the Weddel Sea, the rest of the journey from the Pole to the Winter quarters on the. Boss Sea will not be difficult. Should we not be' able to arrive at the land . in the Weddel Sea early enough, we shall make permanent winter quarters and lay. out; depots before the winterj, - crossing the continent the following- - season. The first ship in this ease will continue working in the Weddel Sea and on the Graham Land coast, and when the season is too advanced for more work to be done she will return " to South America and continue in the following season, when she will pick up the, Weddel Sea party. .... The second ship will leave New Zealand, land a party in the. Boss Sea to ... meet the • transcontinental party, and the transcontinental party will return. in the seeond ship to New Zealand.---Although the journey seems a very one, I feel that it is possible to accomplish the transcontinental journey in five months under favourable conditions, but in order to be prepared for all eventualities I shall have the base in the Weddel Sea to fall back upon should the obstacles be insurmountable the first season.

I This, briefly, is an outline of the pro- ; gramme of the expedition. There will be two ships. The full complement of the shore party will be 12 men,, the complement of the two ships will, be 30 men—total 42. Both ships will be fitted to burn oil instead of coal. By the use of oil we shall greatly extend our radius of action and be independent of ballast, for when the oil is used up water ean be pumped into the tanks and the ships can sail, thus obviating the previous difficulty of expedition, ships. We shall be able to stay at sea much longer. Both ships will also be fully equipped with- cages and tanks for bringing home live penguins and/" seals which have never yet been taken from Antarctic regions, and I am convinced that it only requires a certain amount of care to bring home live specimens, especially the young.