AWAY TO THE FROZEN NORTH.

Dunstan Times, Issue 3129, 7 August 1922, Page 2

AWAY TO THE FROZEN NORTH.

Captain Roald Amundsen sailed ITom Seattle, U.S.A., in the ship Aland at the beginning of June on another trip through the icepack to the North Pole. The expedition, which is described a-s one of tlia most complete and extensive scientific that have ever got under way. is a resumption of the effort, begun by Captain Amundsen in ÜBS. under auspices of the Norwegian Government, to drift past the North Pole with the ice floes, minutely studying phenomena- of a. vast area never before visited by white men, and to obtain data which the explorer experts to revolutionise meteorological and oceanographical knowledge .in the Northern Hem isplieie. The first effort met with delay in PJ2O, when the- Aland lost a-propeller in the ice off the north-eastern Siberian coa-'t and was forced to .put into Sea-tH for repairs’. Recently the vessel has undergone complete overhauling and additional equipment, including two aiiplancs, a long-range wireless outfit and many precise scientific! instruments, lias been added to the complement. Captain Amundsen states that the expedition is primarily scientic. and, while bo hopes to reach the North Pole, Hie study of ocean ami magnetic currents, the drift of the ice pack, and movements of Hie air will he bis first objective. Special investigation will he made t:i determine whether land exists in the neighborhood of the pole. as some oceanographers, basing their belief on sudden shifts in polar ocean currents, have maintained. Aim'll attention will be given to the ocean itself and through bob's bored in the ice scientists of the expedition will measure the depth of the water, direction and strength of submarine currents and take samples from different levels lor chemical analysis. The two airplanes—one capable of carrying nine passengers and the other a Hiree-scater—and the wireless outfit tin- explorer deems Hie most important items of the* vessel’s equipment. YY 'Hi the planes—the “eyes of the ship’- be will make an intensive exploration ol (be huge' area of almost a million square miles, covering the “root of the world. Tlm larger piano will be used for the mme extensive investigations, while -the scout piano will fly in the immediate vicinity of the vessel. Bv means of the wireless equipment Captain Amundsen expects to keen in ioucli with the world. Four times daily he will send wireless messages to Washington. givinir mcl eoroloe ica I data exnoetecl to a'cl measurably in forecasting wealh r c licitic us throughout the globe. Every precaution lias been taken to guard tb" expedition against the twists of fate in t-be Arctic that so often have caused the failure ol explorative efforts and resulted in tragedy for those who took part in them. Captain Amundsen is sceptical of the theory that an explorer can “live on tlm country” in that part ol the world, ami the Maud lias been stocked with provisions to last seven years. Sixty tcim of fm 1 oil have been taken aboard. “Husky” clogs. Lo be used in sledge work after the vessel is frozen into the ice. will join the vessel at Nome". It was i speeded that by the Ist July Hi" Maud would be beading out into Hi:’ Arctic. Ice conditions arc reported to In l better than during the limt ten years, and tlm explorer is hopeful ol reaching a point far north before the pack close"-- in. lifting tlm little sliio bodily to its surfa-e. Captain Amundsen expects to drift past the pole Ir-m O' point off nortb-casr Siberia to Spitzbergen. within live cr six years. Oscar Wisting, one of tlm four nm-n who accompanied Amundsen to Hu> South Pole. is. sailing master of the Aland.