The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-09-25
By Associated Press

London, Sept. <a.-The voyage of
 The Quest, the quaint little 2oo-ton
 ship which is carrying Sir Ernest
 Shackleton and his party to frozen
 mysteries in the South Polar seas, has for its objectives not only ocean, ographic research but the exploration of a petrified forest and the location of a lost island-Tuanak ad- jacent waters of which have not been sailed for more than 90 years, In addition, soundings will be taken
 of the ocean plateau surrounding Coughs Island in an effort to deter mine the truth regarding supposed underwater continental connection between Africa and America.
 Nineteen persons, representing each of the British governing domin- ions, are expected to be aboard when the tiny but stanch craft, built for tight corners," leaves Capetown, South Africa, for two years of buff feting it's way through the Antarctic ice.
 The Quest which uses both sail and steam, and which may cover more than 3o,oO0 miles before it's re- turn home, was constructed accord ing to the personal ideas of Shaokle- ton, who has made several voyages to the Antarctic. He commanded the British expedition of 1907-09, which reached within 97 miles of the South
 Pole, and also the expedition ot 1914-15 to Weddell sea. His present ship is III feet long, 25-foot beam and 12 feet in depth. She was built in Norway in 1917 of oak, pine and spruce and has been tested in heavy ice. Her sides are two feet thick and her bows are of solid oak sheathed with steel. Her steaming radius is 5000 miles and, under sail, in a stiff breeze, The Quest can make knots. She carries wireless equipment and an airplane with a 25-foot wing spread. She has a glass-inclosed bridge and a lookout that resembles a flour barrel.
 Biplane to Pilot Ship.
 Maj. c. R. Carr, an English soldier of fortune, the aviator of the expe- dition, plans to fly above the Antarc- tic fogs to scout out passages be- tween the floes through which The Quest may pass. He is also the pho tographer and naturalist of the ex- petition. The biplane he will use Is one of only three that were ever I l W spective1y, by Colonel Borten, V. C. the pioneer flyer from England to Mesopotamia, and by Sir Ross Smith, the first man to fly from England to Australia.
 Other members of the Shackleton party, besides those already men l tioned, include Frank Etild, second in command; Frank Worsley, com
 mander; Maj. A. H. Macklin. biolo- gist; R Stenhouse, lieutenant conn
 ma ,der; Capt. l.. Hussey, meteorolo- gis J. S. w. Marr and N. D. Mooney, cabin boys.
 ShackIeton Found Island. The petrified forest that will be explored was found by Shackleton on | the island of Trinidad at, certain | point where he landed from Capt Robert F. Scott's ship, the Discovery more than 12 years ago. Cough Island is eight miles long and 4,0o0 | feet high, and in 1904. when visited for the first time on record by men7- bers of the Bruce expedition. was found to have at least four hitherto unclassified species of birds. Tua- naki. the lost" island, has been men T. | tioned in old nautical records, but 1 apparently has disappeared A spot l in the Pacific where it is supposed to | be will be dredged for evidence to | show that it Is recently submerged land.
 There is already in the south polar l regions another British expedition It is led by Commander John l.. Cope 1 who left Norfolk. Va, on October 1'i 1920, for a six years sojourn in the