ever
before attempted by any one Polar expedition.

"This will be the first use of the Weddell Sea as a base for
exploration, and all the parties will open up vast stretches of unknown
land. It is appropriate that this work should be carried out under the
British Flag, since the whole of the area southward to the Pole is
British territory. In July 1908, Letters Patent were issued under the
Great Seal declaring that the Governor of the Falkland Islands should
be the Governor of Graham Land (which forms the western side of the
Weddell Sea), and another section of the same proclamation defines the
area of British territory as 'situated in the South Atlantic Ocean to
the south of the 50th parallel of south latitude, and lying between 20
degrees and 80 degrees west longitude.' Reference to a map will show
that this includes the area in which the present Expedition will work.

"How the Continent will be crossed.

"The Weddell Sea ship, with all the members of the Expedition
operating from that base, will leave Buenos Ayres in October 1914, and
endeavour to land in November in latitude 78 degrees south.

"Should this be done, the Trans-continental party will set out on
their 1800-mile journey at once, in the hope of accomplishing the march
across the Pole and reaching the Ross Sea base in five months. Should
the landing be made too late in the season, the party will go into
winter quarters, lay out depots during the autumn and the following
spring, and as early as possible in 1915 set out on the journey.

"The Trans-continental party will be led by Sir Ernest Shackleton, and
will consist of six men. It will take 100 dogs with sledges, and two
motor-sledges with aerial propellers. The equipment will embody
everything that the experience of the leader and his expert advisers
can suggest. When this party has reached the area of the Pole, after
covering 800 miles of unknown ground, it will strike due north towards
the head of the Beardmore Glacier, and there it is hoped to meet the
outcoming party from the Ross Sea. Both will join up and make for the
Ross Sea base, where the previous Expedition had its winter quarters.

"In all, fourteen men will be landed by the 'Endurance' on the Weddell
Sea. Six will set out on the Trans-continental journey, three will go
westward, three eastward, and two remain at the base carrying on the
work already outlined.

"The 'Aurora' will land six men at the Ross Sea base. They will la