New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1921-09-18
S,l1ackIeton Off
On Long Quest;
Hunts Lost Isle
Explorer to Sail Sturdy
Little Ship Into Unchar,-
ed Sections of Antarctic.
So. Atlantic and Pacific
Flyer to Guide Craft
Pefrified Forests of Trini-
dad Will Be Visited in
10000 Miles of Voyaging
Frers The Tribune's Europecn Bwredu



Copyright. 1921 New York Tribune Inc.
LONDON. Sept. 17.--Cheered by thou
sands, Sir Ernest Shackleton, the polar
explorer, started out to-day in his
sturdy little vessel. the Quest, on a
S0ooo-rnile voyage in southern seas
which probably will last two years.
Immense crowds gathered along the
Thames waterfront to speed the ex-
plorer on his new adventure, and ships
blew their sirens and dipped their flags
as the little 20o-ton craft moved
slowly from her wharf and down the
river.
Sir Ernest declared just before sail
ing that this would be his final voyage
into the frozen south. He expects Il to
be OF very great scientific value, as the
ship is equipped with every possible
apparatus for recording Investigations.
LONDON, Sept. IT (Bv The Asso-
eiated Press). = 1.-The Quest is the
sightest vessel that ever ventured into
the Polar seas and by far the best
equipped" said Sir Ernest Just before
his departure to-day. "In this resnect
therefore, we are the luckiest Of ex
plorers and should be able to wrest
from the Antarctic many of it's grimly-
held secrets"
Utility Boat Ready
The utility boat Consuela has been
dispatched from Cowes to ioin the
Quest at Plymouth. This utility boat
can be sailed, rowed, punted, padded
or propelled by gasoline engine. It
is fitted with rubber protecting band
to admit OF its use with safety amid
siudge ice.
The voyage of the Quest has for its
objectives, not only the oceanographic
research. but the exploration of pet
rifed forest and the location of
"lost" island-Tuanaki- adjacent
waters of which have not been sailed
for more than ninety yeara In addi-
ton, soundings will be taken of the
ocean plateau surrounding a supposed
underwater continental connection be-
tween 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 buffeting it's
way through the Antarctic ice.
The Quest, which uses both sail and
10000 miles before it's return home.
was constructed according to the per
scnal ideas of Shackleton, who has
made several voyages to the Antarctic.
DE commanded the British expedition
Of 10000, which reached within
ninety seven miles of TIE South Pole,
and also the expedition of 1914-'15 to
Weddell Sea. His present ship is III
feet long. 25 feet beam and IL 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. She
carries wireless equipment and an air.
plane.
Airman to Guide Ship
Major c. R. Carr, an English soldier
OF fortune, the aviator of the expedi-
ton, plans to fly above the Antarctic
fogs to scout passages between the
foes.
The petrified forest that will be ex-
plored was found by Shackleton on the
island of Trinidad at a certain point
where ne landed from Captain Robert
F. Scots ship, the Discovery, more
than twelve years ago. Coughs Island
Is eight miles long an 1000 feet high
and IN 1904, when visited for the first
time on record by members of the
Bruce expedition, was found to have at
least four hitherto unclassiied species
of birds. Tuanaki, the "lost" island.
has been mentioned in old nautical
records, but apparently has dis
appeared. A spot in the Pacific where
1t is supposed to be will be dredged
for evidence to show that it Is
recently submerged land