ELLSWORTH SEARCH.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 75, 10 January 1936, Page 6

ELLSWORTH SEARCH.

DISCOVERY NEARS THE SCENE.

(United Press Association—Copyright.) SYDNEY, January 9.

Mr R. A. Parkhill (Minister for Defence) has received a message from the Discovery 11. stating that the weather continues fine, and the vessel has now crossed the Antarctic Circle. Open water is ahead. The two aircraft are being overhauled, the sledge tried out, and emergency rations prepared for the Wapiti, in which the main search flights for Mr Ellsworth will be made. THEORY AS TO SILENCE. , INVERCARGILL, January 9. Mr M. E. Wiig, Norwegian Consul at Bluff, says that the absence of radio signals from Mr Lincoln Ellsworth does not necessarily mean tragedy. Mr Wiig’s theory is that the flyers will be found safe in Little Amei'ica, in such a position that successful transmission of radio messages would be impossible. He bases his calculation on the experience of the old Sir James Claik Ross in those waters during the 1927-28 whaling season. The position was the ship was held up in the ice. All about her were immense icebergs, and these, higher than the vessel’s masts, had completely “blanketed” her wireless.

Mr Wiig is surveyor of shipping in the South Island for Norway. With the assistance of an expert, the consul inspected the radio equipment on the Wyatt Earp at Mr Ellsworth’s invitation and Mr Wiig had a look at the small radio set the explorer was taking with him for use on"his flight from the base. “Remembering the wireless experience of the Sir James Clark Ross, Ellsworth’s silence is really understandable,” Mr Wiig said. “My own idea is that he and his companion are safe in an igloo of their own construction, and will be found eventually by one of the searching parties. Let us hope that relief will not be too long delayed.”