U.S. ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25304, 2 October 1947, Page 7

U.S. ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

DEPARTURE “SOME TIME IN NEW YEAR ” WASHINGTON, September 30. Commander G. L. Ketcham, who has visited the Polar regions three times, will command the United States Navy’s expedition to Antarctica. It pas not yet been decided whether the twQ ice-breakers will call at Australia or New Zealand, but possibly they will, to “top off” their bunkers. The ice-breakers will carry'a complement of about 400. They will leave the west coast of the United States some time in the New Year, according to they weather. It is expected that the length of their stay in the Antarctic also will be determined by the weather. The purpose of the expedition is to inspect the" Little America area, collect hydrographic data, and continue the development of the technique of cold weather operations as part of the Navy’s policy of providing continuous training of personnel in Polar regions. Rear-Admiral Byrd, writing in the “National Geographic Magazine,” says that eventually someone may make mopey opt of the Antarctic Continent, which is pearly as large as South America. “We know, for example, that there are huge coal reserves there,” he states. “The mountains are full of it, and it is impossible at the present stage to make even a wild guess as tq the extent, of the deposits. Almost certainly oil will be, found under the ice. It is impossible to imagine a large continent without vast mineral wealth of mapy kinds buried in its rocks?’

STRENGTH OF SOVIET ARMY

(Special Correspondent 17.Z.P.A.) (Ree. 9 p.m.) LONDON, October 1. The European edition of the New York ’'Herald Tribune”' says the “Aripniired Cavalry Journal” publishes an article claiming ffiat the ’ strength U aTnfe W m2n ew a r® at least 500,666 aye serving in heavily mechanised units. The associate. editor of the journal (Major H. B. steward) says that the Russian Army is to-day the best trained in the world and the most nearly prepared for actual combat. “It could probably invade and occupy the whole of western Europe against the resistance of the present British, American, and French troops in Europe, in a matter of 48 hours,” he says.