Details
SHACKLETON, Ernest Henry (1872-1922). Typed letter signed ('E.H. Shackleton') to Commander Tristan Dannreuther, 11 June 1914, 2pp, on paper with printed heading of Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, sending him a booklet [not included] about his forthcoming expedition and asking him to contribute funds: 'I can do so with confidence in consideration of the importance of the undertaking, which should redound to the prestige of our country and the general advancement of human knowledge ... In acknowledging receipt of any donation I shall be pleased to enclose a pass admitting two persons to inspect the Expedition's new Flagship "Endurance" which from next week will be stationed in one of the London Docks', 2 pages, 4to (slight browning to upper edge), envelope.
Shackleton is here raising funds from private sources to finance what was to be his most famous expedition of 1914-1916 which planned to make the first crossing of the Antarctic, a journey of approximately 1800 miles from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea via the South Pole. During the expedition, his ship Endeavour was crushed in the ice of the Weddell Sea in October 1915 and the crew made camp on the ice floe. In April 1916 they made for Elephant Island where Shackleton picked five men to accompany him in the James Caird for the perilous 800 mile voyage to South Georgia to seek help, landing there fourteen days later. After a treacherous thirty-six hour march across the mountains and glaciers to the whaling station at Stromness Bay, help was finally despatched and the remainder of the crew were rescued from Elephant Island without loss. (2)
Shackleton is here raising funds from private sources to finance what was to be his most famous expedition of 1914-1916 which planned to make the first crossing of the Antarctic, a journey of approximately 1800 miles from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea via the South Pole. During the expedition, his ship Endeavour was crushed in the ice of the Weddell Sea in October 1915 and the crew made camp on the ice floe. In April 1916 they made for Elephant Island where Shackleton picked five men to accompany him in the James Caird for the perilous 800 mile voyage to South Georgia to seek help, landing there fourteen days later. After a treacherous thirty-six hour march across the mountains and glaciers to the whaling station at Stromness Bay, help was finally despatched and the remainder of the crew were rescued from Elephant Island without loss. (2)
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