The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-09-17
TINY VESSEL
TO EXPLORE
SOUTH SEAS
Sir Ernest Shackleton and
Party Leave Thames Today
for Uncharted Sections and
Frozen Mysteries.
TO FIGHT THROUGH ICE
tBy Associated Press,

10y associated PreSSt
LONDON, Sept 1.-THE Quest, the
small ship on which Sir Ernest Shack
Teton will explore the uncharted sec
tions of the South Atlantic, the Pacif-
ic and Antarctic seas, left the Thames
today on the start of her two year voy-
age.
Large crowds gathered on the docks
to wish Sir Ernest and his party sue
cessful voyage
The voyage of The Quest, the quaint
little 200-ton ship which is carrying
Shackleton and his party to frozen
mysteries in the South Polar seas, has
for its objectives not only oceano-
graphic research but the exploration
of petrified forest and the location
of lost" island-Tuanaki-th ad.
Jacent waters of which have not been
sailed for more than 80 years
In addition, soundings will be taken
OF the ocean plateau surrounding
Coughs Island in an effort to deter
mine the truth regarding a supposed
underwater continental connection be-
tween Africa and America
Nineteen persons, representing each
of the British self-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 buffet
ing its way through the Antarctic ice.
The Quest, which uses both sail and
steam, and which may cover more than
10000 miles before its return home,
was constructed according to the per-
sonal ideas of Shackleton, who has
made several voyages to the Antarc
tic. He commanded the British ex
pedition of 1907-09. which reached
within 81 miles of the South Pole and
also the expedition of 1914-15 to Wed
dell sea
His present ship is Ill feet long,
25 foot 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. Her
steaming radius is 5000 miles and,
under sail, in stiff breeze The Quest
can make eight knots. She carries
wireless equipment and an airplane
with 25-foot wing spread. She has
a glass enclosed bridge and lookout
that resembles flour barrel
To Fly Above Foes
Major c. r. Carr, an English soldier
of fortune, the aviator of the expedi-
ton, plans to fly above the Antarctic
fogs to scout out passages between
the foes through which The Quest
may pass. He is also the photog-
rapher and naturalist of the expedi-
ton. The biplane he will use is one
| of only three that were ever built.
The other two were flown, respec-
lively, by Colonel Borten " c., the
| pioneer flyer from England to Meso-
! potamia, and by Sir Ross Smith. the
first man to fly from England to
Australia.
Other members of the Shackleton
! party, besides those already mention
| ed. include Frank Ttild, second in
command; Frank Worsley, command.
| er; Major A. H Macklin, biologist; R
| Stenhouse, Lieutenant commander;
4 Captain L. Hussey, meteorologist; J..
| S. w. Mari and n. E. Mooney, cabin
| boys.
To Explore Forest
The petrifed forest that will be ex-
plored was found by Shackleton on
| tne lSldnQ OF 1r1nlQdQ at a certain
point where he landed from Captain
Robert F. Scott's ship, the Discovery,
more than II years ago.
| Coughs Island is eight miles Ions
and 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
| unclassitied species of birds.
Tuanaki, the ''lost" island has been
mentioned in old nautical records but
| apparently has disappeared. A spot
| in the Pacific where it is supposed to
be will be dredged for evidence 70
show that it is recently submerged
land.
There is already in the South Polar
regions, another British expedition. It
is led by Commander John L. Cope
who left Norfolk, Va, on Oct. 81, 1920.
for six years sojourn in the ice
fields.
The party is aboard a 7,oo0-ton
whaler, the Thor l, and three auxiliary
ships and numbers more than 10C
men. One of its purposes is the com
mercial development of the mineral