TO POLAR REGION

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 107, 7 May 1924, Page 13

TO POLAR REGION

CHARTING AN AIR ROUTE

"OVER THE TOP OF THE

WORLD"

PROPOSED TRIP OP THE

SHENANDOAH.

Recommendations that the navy's polar exploration fight be attempted during the coming summer w,ith the dirigible Shenandoah and. using Nome, Alaska, ■as the main operating base are contained in the report of the special board '6f naval officers headed by Hear-Admiral William A. Moffettj chief of naval aviation,- states the Washington' correspondent of the "Springfield Republican." In. its study, the board emphasised thai the mission of the expedition would be exploration of the North Polar regpos*. ' rather than , a dash for the Poleine detailed plan of operation worked out. therefore, contemplates numerous flights by the Shenandoah on mapping and charting cruises to "establish the practicability of- transpolar air route"' from Western Europe to Japan "over the1 top of the world." Recommendation was made that two vessels, preferably tankers, equipped with mooring masts, six planes equipped for landing on ice or wafer, a permanent mooring mast at Nome and mooring facilities at certain other northern points be • employed. ■'■-.■■.; .''The ships, with three plan© each, will go to Nome 'and. to Spitzbergen, where preliminary flights for aerologlcal observations will be made," - the report said. ."When all is-ready,, the Shenandoah will fly to Nome by wav of' mooring • masts at Forth Worth/ "San Diego, Puget Sound, and Nome base; thence northward for the accomplish-ment-of this mission.' The exploration of.- the North Polar region shall include a systematic searchjof the unknown area' north of Alaska. >.

"The board considers that with all the ships, the. Shenandsah "and thfl planes equipped as recommended and provided in ample time, the Arctic ex-ploration-is feasible .and practicable during the summer of 1924 .without undue risk to personnel or material." Selection of the Nome base was made because ice conditions make it available to shipping as a rule "during "the first week m June. The distance to the Pole from Nome by way of Cape Prince ofr Wales is 1560 nautical miles At < a. speed o/ 35 knots, the Shenandoah i^rL c a safe cruising capacity of 4250 nautical miles with a 15 per cent, margin of extra radium.

TO USE HELIUM GAS INFLATION.

Plans for using the Shenandoah call for helium gas inflation, removal of one-motor-to provide living space for" tho crew, use of "water recovery" to compensate loss of weight through consumption of fuel and reduction of ballast by 3300 pounds.

Nome's proximity Jq the unexplored area and to American bases was pointed out, as well as the fact'that it is American territory, has some local facilities and has good communication, with the south. The plan to supi lenient the base with two vessels equipped with mooring masts, it was'added;: waa;due to the fact that such vessels might select a place more sheltered than Nome where the Shenandoah could lie in bad weather, and because a floating base could bo pushed forward to the edge of tho pack ice, Teducfng tho distance Lo tho ground ■to bo explored. /

The second tanker equipped with a mooring mast will be sent'to Spitzbergen on the opposite side of the Pole for flfse in the event that the Shenandoah, aftdr reaching the Pole, should face strong winds-from the south, on a return trip to Nome, in which event she could go to Spitzbergen, travelling with tha wind.

An ,additional "stand-by" three-point mooring at Point Barrow, closest to the Pole, is also recommended, to be used in case of emergency. Recommendation is, made that the coastguard cutter Bear bo stationed at Point Barrow during the flight, "with as many men from tho Nome base as can be berthed in her for tho purpose of hauling the Shenandoah down for refueling" should the need for this base arise/ / Tho board- also recommend that the ZR-3, the Zeppelin now building for the navy in Germany, stand by at Lakehurst, N.J.,' in', reserve, and that advance parties bo sent for aorological work to Seward and other northern Alask.'.n points as soon as possible. Among necessary new equipment to bo installed in the Shenandoah, tho board found that radio commuMention instruments of maximum 'range would be I necessary, as well, as magaetic, radio and "gyro" compasses, the radio: comI pass being intended to permit th© ship Ito take compass bearings from trans--1 mitling stations in America and Europe for the purpose of locating herself ac--1 curately jvhile' in the polar regions. I .A southern routo. across the United States on tho way to Nomo was selected for tha Shenandoah because a direct flight from Lakehurst to Seattle would require the ship to cross the Rocky i Mountains' at an elevations of moro than 8000-feet. At that elevation, data attached to tho roport shows, helium gas expands 23 per cent, which would compel tho "valving" or release of enough gas to protect the ship against thrf bursting of her gas chambers. The southern route, by way of Fort Worth and San vDiego, presents no serious difficulties as to altitudes. '. Secretary Denby, in a. statement dealing „ with tho purpose *of the flight, said the value of an ; expedition to the Arctic regions could bo outlined under three main divisions; namely, exploration, scientific investigation, and pioneer work for commercial air' routes MAY FIND ARCTIC CONTINENT. "It must bo stated," Denby said, "that over 1,000,000 square miles of territory between \ Alaska and the North Pole has never been explored by man. i There has been observed in the Arctic | Ocean a variance of the time of tides from what would normally be expected; This variance amounts" to 'as much as three hours difference in the time of high and low water, and is said to bo explained only through the possible existenco of an Arctic continent, which has never been discovered. "There, is much scientific data to be obtained from a survey of tho air currents of the Arctic regions, according to leaders in this field '■ of scientific m° vesligation. And that this scientific data may be turned to important practical uses, such as improved weather prediction, is strongly indicated. • "Commercial air routes over the Arctic are' practicable to-day, if -we would take the word of explorers and men who havo spent a great part of their lives in the Arctic. "If the navy can establish exact knowledge of these and other theories and beliefs, either by affirmation or negation, it will have rendered a real service to the cause of world progress '•"