BYRD EXPEDITION

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 109, 1 February 1930, Page 11

BYRD EXPEDITION

PURPOSE ACCOMPLISHED COMMANDER SATISFIED LARGE AREA PHOTOGRAPHED (By Russel Owen, correspondent witk The Byrd Expedition.—Copyright.) Little America, December 12. A view of the exploration work already done by aeroplane has convinced Commander Byrd that the purpose of the expedition has been, accomplished. . The flights planned before the expedition left home have been carried out, although the Eastern flying activities were shifted, after the preliminary flights of last year, more to the north than had been anticipated, because the Importance of the work in that direction was shown by the suggestion of land there seen on the first flight to King Edward Land. It has been found that this area is more prolific in important discoveries than the inland flights from the trail between Little America and the Queen Maud Range. Indeed, Commander Byrd feels that the exploration flights have been more than he anticipated, because of the extent of the new land discovered to the north-east. In all it is estimated that 150,000 square miles Fave been photographed with the mapping camera, an area equal to Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, and half of Virginia. On the polar flght alone, an area as large as Kansas was photographed by the mapping camera. The flights would have been curtailed now, even though the proposed work ha(l not been completed, because of the change in the weather. It has been found that in the Antarctic, as in the Arctic, the best time for flying is in the spring or early summer. Conditions Unsuitable for Flying. Since the eastern flight the sky has been free of clouds for only brief intervals With the warmer weather has come fog and quick changes in the wind direction aloft, which mix up the atmosphere and make, an overcast sky, so that aviation would be like flying “in a bucket of milk.” Under these conditions any accurate observations and phtotographs would not only be impossible but there would also be great danger of crashing in a thick atmosphere where neither the horizon nor the snow could be seen. The day after the eastern flight all that area was barred by clouds, and apparently the conditions which headed off Commander Byrd last year have come to stay. So, outside of a possible flight to the eastward from a point on the southern trail, about 160 miles from camp, and a short exploration flight south-east from Little America, it seems as though the work in the air was not only complete but could not be continued to any extent. When Commander Byrd first outlined in New York his programme of Antarctic flying, he intended to fiy to the Pole, make two or three flights to the east inland, and also fly Ip the north-east past King Edward Land. The polar flight has been accomplished, and the occasional messages from horns which indicate that people think it may be repeated, show how little the flying hazards of this country have been appreciated. possibly because of the skill with which the flights have been carried, out. The polar flight was made at a time when for a period of several days there was clear weather at the mountains and, as it was, the ’plane reached camp just before a storm which chased it all the way from tfie Polar Plateau. Since then the geological party have reported snow storms, clouds, and variable winds, which would have made the dangerous flight through the mountains impossible as well as barren of scientific results. On this flight it was, necessary to wait patiently for good weather and to take immediate advantage of it when it came. The opportunity might not come more than once or twice in a whole year, so that good fortune had to play its part. The eastern flights between .Little American and the Queen Maud Mountains were found on the polar and baselaying flights to be of less importance than a flight past King Edward Land, because the visibility was so good that the Amundsen Mountains in latitude SU, east of the trail, were found non-existent and the limits of the Barrier to the east in that region seems to extend as far as the eye could see, about 100 miles. A short flight to the east along the Queen Maud Range was made on the return from the Pole, and a new conception of Carmen Land was gained. The results on those two flights and the tantalising flight of last year to the north-east, when Commander Byrd was so sure he saw a mountain beyond King Edward Land, indicate that the next flight should be made in that direction. Foggy Season in Polar Regions. Anyone familiar with 'the polar regions knows that, when the sun gets higher and the season advances toward midsummer, fogs and clouds and variable winds become inevitable. After Commander Byrd’s flight to the North Pole, the airship Norge started, and the many days of good weather, calm and with cloudless .skies, ended as soon as the airship reached the Pole. From there the party headed by Captain Roald Amundsen and Lincoln Ellsworth flew through fog and mist to Alaska, and saw a much smaller area than they had anticipated. Until Commander Byrd left Spitsbergen the weather remained thick and stormy. . The Antarctic is no exception to. these seasonal changes, apparently, for in the days since the eastern flight there have been overcast skies, dense fogs and winds shifting all around the compass. For these reasons it appears that the flying programme was concluded just in time.

“I have the safety of the men to consider under such conditions,” Commander Byrd said to-day. “I think it is safe to say that it would be unwise, as well as unprofitable, to do any more flying this year except for a short hop or two. I have asked my men to take chance after chance to complete our work. They have served science and been fortunate to come through safely. lam going to think of them. They have completed the mission better than we hoped for. They seem to crave hazards and danger. But my duty now is to do my utmost to get them home. Besides, flying in thick weather down here is barren of geographical results.” There is another reason for not making further extensive flights. . If the ’plane were forced down 300 miles or more from camp now on an eastern flight, the crew, provided they landed safely, could hardly get back to camp manhauling sleds before the ships must leave. The vessels must leave here as early m February as possible to avoid the new forming ice in the Ross Sea, which so nearly trapped the City of New York last year. And if the ’plane crew did not get back by that time, they would be forced to stay here another year. Meantime, the geographical party, Jed by Dr. Lawrence Gould, is completing its work in the Queen Maud Mountains. A message from Dr. Gould reads: — “Back down glacier to Camp Strom last night and stormbound all day. ‘“Will make another attempt to locate your cache before we start east. With your last instructions we hope to find it. “This is first day'since we left Little America that we have had to lose on account of weather ”