BYRD EXPEDITION

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 54, 27 November 1928, Page 10

BYRD EXPEDITION

ALL UNITS AT DUNEDIN DEPARTURE FOR ROSS SEA ON SATURDAY Dominion Special Service. Dunedin, November 26. For the first time since the first contingent of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition sailed out of New York harbour on August 25, ninety days ago, all units of the expedition to-day converged in Otago harbour. Rather unexpectedly the City of New York arrived off the heads on Sunday afternoon under her own power. Commander Byrd and the aviation personnel arrived this morning by the night express from Christchurch, and the ship Eleanor Bolling, which had gone to Wellington to take aboard the aeroplanes, also docked at Dunedin this morning, and happy reunions were made by the eighty-one members of the expedition. They will soon be divided again, however, as the City of New York, after docking at the port for cleaning, will, come to Dunedin to-morrow to take aboard aeroplanes, stores, and dogs, and will leave direct for Ross Sea on Saturday. Commander Byrd will sail by the barque, and the Eleanor Bolling will leave early in December. With the centralisation of all units, the final plans will be expedited. So far there has not been a hitch in the arrangements, and Commander Byrd has already expressed his admiration regarding the thoroughness of the scheduled plans. The important announcement has been made that Mr. Richard G. Brophy, business manager, has been appointed second in command of the expedition. In the expedition there are seventeen men who went to the Arctic with Byrd, while one (Martin Ronnie) was a member of Amundsen's successful Antarctic Expedition. “We have a series of problems before us,” said Commander Byrd, when seen at Port Chalmers this afternoon, “and we greatly appreciate the courtesy and co-operation of the Otago Harbour Board. They have done everything possible, and Mr. Tapley has also given every assistance. Our tough job is to get ready in time to reach the ice so as to go through it with the C. A. Larsen, which is a powerful ice-breaker.” The scraping of the City of New York was completed this afternoon, and the vessel will be floated out of dock at 6 a.m. to-morrow, and then be taken to Dunedin.

Commander Byrd spent a busy day inspecting the City of New York in dry dock, and taking an interest in the work of discharging the heavy cases containing aeroplanes and provisions from the Eleanor Bolling. Every man connected with the expedition is doing his bit, even the scientists donning overalls and assisting In the ship's

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