The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-24
SHACKLETON
 BACK FRO M . POLAR LAND
Noted English Explorer and Party Return To New South Wales After Elk tended Trip-Results of Cruise Yet Secret.
Information is Withheld
 Pending Official Report Three-Fold Purpose in Trip to South Atlantic and
 FO1dT R0g1O1lS.

Sidney, N. s. w., March 24-
 Lieut.. Sir Ernest Shackleton
 has returned from his Antarc-
 tic expedition.
 News of the, achievements of
 the expedition is withheld for
 the present. \
 The adventure of Lieut.\Sir Ernest Shack1eton heading the British trans Atlantic expedition, had a, fthree-fo1d purpose to navigate Antarctica on a meridian; to secure for the British flag the honor of being the first national emblem thus to be taken from sea to Sea across this south polar realm, and to conduct scientific work relating, among other phases, to meteorology, geography, geology and geodetic sur veys. Funds for the purpose amount ing to more, than $30O,OOO were raised including $5O,Oo0 from the British government.
 The expedition left England in two sections about six weeks after the European war began, but it was not until early in January, 1915 after de- lay due to unfavorabIe ice conditions that the party headed by Sir Ernest set off on their long voyage from South Georgia, an uninhabited about 800 miles due east of Cape Horn, for Ross Sea on the other side of the South Po1e.t
 : From Tasmania, on the New Zea- land side of the Antarctic the second section meanwhile had sailed, also for expedition with supplies necessary for both sections to return to New Zea- land. Sir Ernest hoped originally to come out of the Antarctic by April, 1915 but conditions made necessary a change of plan. The section which started from Tasmania was forced to spend the winter of 1915-16 at Ross Sea to await Sir Ernest's arrival which had been expected some time this month.
 Sir Ernest sailed in the Endurance. a three-master, the foremast square rigged and the other 1.-two masts her auxiliary engines giving her 10 knot speed This vessel, of 36O tons, was built with wooden walls'' two feet thick.
 Her accommodations were for 32 persons and the party which sailed included IS officers and scientists, besides TO dogs and a number of mo- tor sleds. The Ross Sea party sailed on the Aurora in command of Lieut.. Aeneas Macintosh. R.. N. R., who was in charge also of the chronome- tres and meteorological instruments. 1 The Aurora carried 26 dogs.
 After leaving South Georgia, Sir Ernest and his party, although l equipped with a limited wireless ap- paratus, had no communication with i 5he civilized world. Friends of the | explorer; however, did not express l anxiety explaining that difficulties in | erecting and insulating masts on the 1 ce after the party left the ship made | t improbable, if not impossible, that | ne would be heard from, at least until | he homeward voyage from Ross Sea | vas we'll under way.
 The Argentine government present. d for the Endurance a powerful wire ess receiving equipment when the | ship touched at Buenos Ayres late in 1914 on it's way to South eGorgia. Thus prepared, the explorers hoped | before taking to the ice to pick up programs containing information as O happenings in the outside world, including news of the war. They znew they could not at that time end messages telling of their own progress.