EXPEDITIONS TO ANTARCTICA

Press, Volume XCII, Issue 27709, 13 July 1955, Page 7

EXPEDITIONS TO ANTARCTICA

Hillary And Lowe In Paris ARRANGEMENTS FOR N.Z. PARTY (Special Correspondent N.Z.P A.) <Rec. 8 p.m.» LONDON. Juiv 12. The United States expedition to' the South Pole intends to establish a logistic base or air strip in McMurdo SnGnd from which to supply the advance base by air before setting up a base near the oolc. The Americans expect to arrive in New Zealand about October this yea*' before reaching McMurdo Sound in November. Thi« is one of many interesting points Sir Edmund Hillary end Mr George Lowe learned .while attending a conference in Paris of explorers and scientists from the 11 nations which are taking part in the International Geophysical Year between January 1957 and February. 1958. The American plans mean that there will be. two expeditions using the Sound, an American one and the New Zealand party. Both the New Zealanders attended a meeting of the Antarctic Committee on their first day in London, the beginning of a series of discussions which will continue until July 20. on the planning of the Antarctic Expedition After publication of his book. “High Adventure.” Sir Edmund Hillary will return to New Zealand, possiblv b'way of the United States, where he mav have discussions about McMurdo Sound He is due back in London early m November in time to leave with the British expedition to Vahsel Bay on November 15. Dr. Vivian Fuchs wHI be the leader and Mr Lowe will be in charge of the photography base camp to be established in Vahsel Bav Sir Edmund Hillarv expects to obtain information that will be valuable when the New Zealand base is set up in McMurdo Sound towards the end of 1956. Sir Edmund Hillary will return to London with Dr. Fuchs’s party about March. 1956. and then go to New Zealand to prepare to lead the New Zealand party to the sound. They met. the leaders of the planned American. French, and Norwegian expeditions to the Antarctic. Mr Lowe will now begin work as'a member of the British section of the Trans-Antarctic Company and will act as a liaison officer between the British and New Zealand sections. Interview on Plans Mr George Lowe, in an interview, gave details of plans to trek 1800 miles across the South Pole from November. 1957. to February. 1958. He said that British, Russian, and American expeditions will be at the Pole in January. 1958, and a French part** will be nearby. "We hope to meet the Americans and Russians at the Pole, but nothing is planned.” he said. The Commonwealth party will consist of tv. o teams, one led by Dr. Fuchs, the scientific director of the Falkland Island Dependencies, and another by Sir Edmund Hillary. They will start from different sides of the continent and hope to meet at Mount Albert Markham. 9000 ft above sea level and about '5OO miles from the Pole. The American party intend travelling via Marie Byrd Land, said Mr Lowe, and the Russians will start from the Knox coast. The French will attempt to put a base on the Magnetic South Pole in Adelie Land. “We were surprised at the extensive planning of the other countries,” said Sir Edmund Hillary. “The Americans are establishing more bases than we knew, and the Russians are being much more ambitious than we expected. They intend to cross the widest part of the continent.” Mr Lowe said that neither the Rus-

i- - • s sians nor the Americans made any e territorial claims to the South Pole 1 and did not respect claims by other ,’ countries. There was no question of 2 a race. The British party will be the only one to make the complete cross- - ! ing,