POLAR SEA FLIGHTS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 270, 20 August 1925, Page 9

POLAR SEA FLIGHTS

OF THE MACMILLAN EXPEDITION ABANDONMENT PROBABLE OWING TO /UNUSUALLY SEVERE WEATHER Owing to the unusually severe weather conditions met with, the Polar Sea flights proposed to be made by Commander Macmillan’s expedition, which is searching for an undiscovered Arctic continent, will probably be abandoned. By Telegraph—Press Association-. Copyright Washington, August 18. Commander Donald B. Macmillan’s naval air expedition, which is searching fot an undiscovered Arctic continent, in all probability will be abandoned this week, according to indications heie. Mr. Wilbur, Secretary of the Navy, sent a radio to Lieutenant-Com-mander R..D. Byrd asking for a report as to the weather conditions, and whether Lieut.-Commander Byrd believed it worth while to continue the searen. Simultaneous!}’, though not in reply, Lieut.-Commander Byrd sent a radio message to Mr. Wilbur stating that unless the flyers were favoured with exceptionally good weather during the remainder of this week it would be necessary to abandon the proposed Polar Sea (flights. Officials of the Navy and the National Geographic Societv whom Mr. Wilbur consulted before sending his message were of the opinion that a cessation of the' flight and an immediate return southward was necessary for the beginning of the other portions of the expedition's programme in uncharted areas at Baggin Island, lying to the west of Southern Greenland. Series of Unforseen Difficulties. From the start the expedition has encountered a series of unforeseen arid delaying difficulties. First the ships were short of fuel, and were delayed for coaling, and since their arrival at Etah it has been necessary to construct special platforms on the beach before assembling their aeroplanes. Since August 3, when the aeroplanes were launched, the weather has been unusually severe and unprecedented during the summer months. _ Snow and fog have hampered operations during the period permitting air exploration, which expires usually about August 25, when the midnight sun wanes, after which conditions are much worse. The aviators flying to the westward of Etah attempted to find a base fot their supplies, but found the fjords clotted ‘with ice, and were unable to land. Finally they settled on Flagler Fjord as a base, to which place they are still carrying small quantities of provisions only, owing to the difficulty of rising from the water. One seaplane has been out of commission for several days, due to heavy Arctic seas springing a seam. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.