BACK FROM ANTARCTICA

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 141, 11 March 1930, Page 12

BACK FROM ANTARCTICA

DUNEDIN WELCOMES ADMIRAL BYRD TRIBUTE TO BRITISH PIONEERS “ACCOMPLISHED ALL WE SET OUT TO DO” The Byrd Expedition ships, City of New York and Eleanor Bolling, arrived at Dunedin from the Antarctic yesterday. RearAdmiral Richard Byrd and the other members of the party received a verv warm welcome, a flotilla of small craft escorting the ships up the harbour. Rear-Admiral Byrd subsequently stated that the expedition had accomplished all it had set out to do, and he incidentally paid a fine tribute to the pioneer work of the English explorers. By Telegraph.—Press Association.

Dunedin, March 10. After 453 clays’ absence from civilisation, Rear-Admiral 'Richard Byrd and the members of his expedition returned from the frozen South to-day, their mission having been successfully completed. A royal welcome was given to Admiral Byrd and his men, although the weather was cold and wet. A fleet of tugs, ferry boats, and mosquito boats went as far as the Heads to welcome the returning ships, and when they entered the harbour discordant notes of greeting were piped from all parts of the bay. After her wretched trip to the Bay of Wales the City of New York experienced fair weather back to New Zealand. For several days a piping gale was blowing, and she reached Otago Harbour ahead of the Eleanor Bolling, which was hidden behind a black cloud of smoke. v As the barque came under the lee of the peninsula with all sail set she showed marks of her buffeting. When she left on her final trip to the South she was a spick-and-span ship, but once again she is begrimed and battered. On that momentous trip to the Barrier ice was lying a foot thick on the foc’sle head. Albout half a mile distant the Eleanor Bolling followed up the harbour in the wake of the City of New York. Official Welcome. After the harbour had been entered the official party boarded the City of New York. The party included the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle (representing the Government), the Mayor (Mr. Black), Mr. Gow (chairman of the. Harbour Board), Captain Wren (of the Laburnum, representing the Royal Navy), and Mr. Tapley, agent for the expedition vessels. When the City of New York readied the wharf at about 2.45 she was greeted with a round of cheers from the thousands lining the whhrf. The Kaikorai Band struck up “The StarSpangled Banner,” Admiral Byrd standing at the salute at the head of the gangway. CIVIC RECEPTION ADMIRAL BYRD’S THANKS TO DUNEDIN By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, March 10. In the evening a civic reception was accorded Rear-Admiral Byrd and his officers in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall. There was a large attendance of the public. As Admiral Byrd and his officers entered, the Mayor (Mr. Black) called for a hearty .welcome to their guests, the audience responding with a burst of cheering and the singing of “For He’s a Jolly Good Fellow.” Extending the city’s greetings to Admiral Byrd and his officers, Mr. Black said their guests had returned from a wonderful Antarctic adventure which would only be seen in its proper perspective as time rolled on. They had more than emulated, the deeds of their predecessors, and By so doing had no doubt added vastly to the sum of the world's knowledge. In time the name of Admiral Byrd would stand out in the history of the world’s great explorers. He congratulated Admiral Byrd on his promotion to Rear-Admiral. ■ The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. P. A. de la Perrelle), representing the Government, expressed pleasure at being present on such an important occasion. He sincerely trusted when Admiral Byrd went back to his homeland he would advocate the continuance of the bond of friendship which began in the Great War and had been still further cemented by his association with the people of New Zealand. On behalf of the Government and the people of New Zealand - he most heartily welcomed him back, and trusted that when he returned home he would meet with a warm and enthusiastic welcome from hundreds of thousands of his Hotham, of H.M.S- Laburnum, representing the New Zealand Na val Division, said it gave him particular pleasure to participate in the welcome, as he did so on behalf of the Navy. Commodore Blake was unable to do this in person, but had asked him to convey to Admiral Byrd and his officers his heartiest congratulations on his wonderful exploits. They of the Navy were particularly interested in Antarctic exploia tion, as.it called for two things which were a necessity in the Navy—-endurance and comradeship. It was pleasing to know that the best of comradeship had existed between the men of the expedition, and although there had been no casualties this was due not so much to good luck as to the splendid organisation and personal efforts of Admiral Byrd. Admiral Byrd, on rising, was greeted with a prolonged burst of cheering. He said the- speakers had been more than generous in their praise. He did not deserve this by a long-way. but he appreciated it just the same. As far as he and his men were concerned, they only began' where those great heroes. Scott Shackleton, Evans and Mawson had left off Scott, one of his boyhood heroes, showed that it could be a great thing to die. To the Mayor he tendered his most hearty thanks for the messages he had sent, and for the hospitality extended to his men in Dunedin. The citizens had done things for the expedition far beyond the calls of hospitality, particularly Messrs. H. L. Tapley, G. Tapley and J. Dunean, who, if they had been his brothers, could not have done more. He also wished to acknowledge publicly the wonderful assistance given by the' Otago Harbour Board. One day several years ago, looking at a map of the world, he had chosen Dunedin as his place of departure to and return from the Antarctic, and that he considered was a lucky day for the expedition. Dr. Gould, second in command, also re-

ceived an ovation on rising to speak. Dr. Gould said that New Zealand had always maintained aji interest in Antarctic exploration. which began as as the first voyage of the Discovery, and it was an interest that knew neither geofgraphical nor national limits. He hoped that when they all left for America they would say not good-bye, but au revoir. “Mighty Glad to Get Back.” “Having been attended by good luck we have accomplished all that we set out to do and perhaps a little more,” said Admiral Byrd. “We are mighty glad that we selected New Zealand as the base and we are mighty glad to get back. It would have been impossible for any people to have treated us better or with greater courtesy than the New Zealand people have done. The help they have given us has contributed to our success.” The polar flight was not any more outstanding than the discovery of new land, comprising 280,000 square miles, which he had named Marie Byrd Land. This was to the eastward of the Ross Dependency. The claiming of the land was not his main concern, said Admiral Byrd. The expedition’s success .had been in a way due to luck, and was largely owing to the very unselfish work and attitude of the men. Regarding the two aeroplanes left in the Antarctic, Admiral Byrd said that arrangements had been made to have them returned to America. There was no time to ship them, as it Was a race against time getting away as the bay would have been frozen over in a day or two. “When I saw that the ice was not going out of the Bay of Wales, I was naturally concerned, as it meant a very long haul of the cargo to the ships,” said Admiral Byrd. “The ice did not recede as it used to do, and it indicated that we had experienced a colder period than Amundsen had. Whether the bad condition was periodic or permanent I am not prepared to say.” A Feat of Which to be Proud. “If there is one thing I am elated about it is that every man has returned,” said Admiral Byrd. “The return of every man is a feat in Antarctic exploration. The call of adventure has been the death call for numbers of gallant men, mostly Englishmen, who showed ‘that Englishmen can endure hardships, help one another, and meet death with as great a fortitude as in the past.’ ” Aided by the most modern comfort devices, solid houses, and modes of conveyance which were not the lot of the unfortunate pioneers, Byrd’s men have had much in their favour, but the expedition would nevir have been a success without the same spirit of co-operation and sinking of selfish aspiration by every member from the cabin boy on the base ships to the commander himself. “Wonderful,” was the summary of the opinions of the men who had spent the winter with Commander Byrd on the ice. Each and every one declared that the experience was unforgettable, and they were all delighted because the expedition had achieved success in everything it had attempted. Record Passage.

Practically all kinds of weather were experienced by the City of New York and the Eleanor Bolling on the long voyage from Otago to the Antarctic regions, and also on the return trip. In spite of the hazards of the ice pack and the heavy weather, however, the City of New York established a record by making the passage from the Bay of Whales to Dunedin in 18 days. Captain Melville stated that the, ship arrived at the Barrier on February 18. As time was limited, not a moment was lost. All hands set to work transferring the men an<l dogs to the whaling vessel Kosmos. This work was carried out without a hitch and the City of New’ York commenced the return voyage on February 19. She came alongside the Eleanor Bolling, which was lying near the ice paek, and a number of men were transferred to the latter vessel. Three days were occupied by the City of New York in passing through the ice pack. It was an anxious time, as the barque frequently came into contact with heavy ice, and some of her planking show’s unmistakable signs of the hard knocks she received. Captain Melville described the ice as thick and dangerous. After clearing the ice the ship experienced several strong gales, but the last few days of the voyage was made under moderate weather conditions. The Eleanor Bolling left Dunedin on February 11 and cleared the ice pack on February 28. She did not go to the Bay of Whales, but waited near the ice for the Citv of New York. .The latter vessel hove in sight on March 1 in latitude 68.46 S. The two ships then commenced the last stage of the voyage to Dunedin.

CHICAGO RECEPTION ARRANGEMENTS A great reception is being arranged for Admiral Byrd at Chicago. This is made apparent from the following message which was 'broadcast from Schnectady, New York, on Saturday night, by the General Electric Company, through its short-wave station“ Heartiest greetings from your club, the Press Club ot Chicago. The club desires to arrange, in co-operation with other bodies (names given), a suitable reception to you m recognition of your immortal achievement.” , , ~ The message indicated that there would be accommodation for 115.000 people at the function. Commander Byrd was requested to communicate his acceptance, in oyder,that final arrangements eould be made for the reception. NAVAL GREETING By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, March 10. The following naval signal was dispatched bv the officer of H.M.S. Laburnum on of Commander Hotham: — “I have been asked by Commodore Blake, who commands the New’ Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, to offer you, your officers and crew, heartiest congratulations and a warm welcome on your return from the Antarctic niter such a successful expedition. Polar exploration has always been a subject of interest to us in the navy since the exploits of the lute Captain Scott. It. gives us great pleasure to feel that this expedition has been so successfully led by an officer of the navy of the United SCtates of America. The Commodore is unfortunately unable to be present in person, and he has further asked me to express his regrets at his unavoidable absence from the welcome to Rear-Admiral Byrd.”