Shackleton estimated that he would need £50,000 (current value £4,834,000) to carry out the simplest version of his plan.[13] He did not believe in appeals to the public: "(they) cause endless book-keeping worries".[8] His chosen method of fundraising was to solicit contributions from wealthy backers, and he had begun this process early in 1913 with little initial success.[8] The first significant encouragement came in December 1913, when the British government offered him £10,000, provided he could raise an equivalent amount from private sources.[13] The Royal Geographical Society (RGS), from which he had expected nothing, gave him £1,000—according to Huntford, Shackleton, in a grand gesture, advised them that he would only need to take up half of this sum.[14] Lord Rosebery, who had previously expressed his lack of interest in polar expeditions, gave £50.[13]