THE POLAR WASTE

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 61, 15 March 1929, Page 9

THE POLAR WASTE

WHAT DOES IT HIDE?

BYRD'S DISCOVERIES

SUBJECT OF SPECULATION

Pnittd Praai . AmocUUob—By BUctrte Ttto* Srapli- -CopyrlebL United Service. (Eeceived 15th March, 9 a.m.) BAY OF WHALES,' 13th March. What the now stretches of land and the mountain ranges already discovered by the Byrd expedition may contain has been the subject of much speculation since they were found, particularly as the region cast of the Eoss Dependency; has been claimed for the United States.' It is known that there is a wide belt of low-grade coal in tho mountain rango on the western side of the Barrier, but there is nothing to tempt anyone to mine it yet awhile. Only the most procious things, such as jewels or rare elements, like radium, would repay the ex. pense and difficulty of extracting them trom Antarctica. There is no doubt that such things exist here, but finding them would be a mere chance, and it would be a hardy soul indeed who would go out in this country on a prospecting trip, but if anything worth the trouble and danger were found, there is no reason why it should not bo taken out. SPIT2BEEGEN AND COAX.. Spitzbergen, whore coal is mined, is nearer to the North Pole than the Bay of Wales is to the South Pole, although Spitzbergen is easily accessible for several months of the year, due to the (julr. fetroam and the proximity of Norway, only 500 miles away. Antarctica is cut off from the world by a raging ocean and a belt of ico through which ships may pass only about two months of the year, and then with difficulty. But, granted that cargo sufficiently valuable could be secured, there is no reason why it should not be obtained, as men could live here and work under proper protection. They certainly could work in mines, although the lowest avorago temperatures in the world are in Antarctica. The lowest recorded temperature here is either 74 or 76deg below zero, Fahrenheit, and except when the wind blows, members of the expedition work^ out of doors at 15 to 20deg below zero, without great hardship. WIND POWER APLENTY. Nevertheless, it is unlikely that for many years anyone will attempt to export diamonds or pitchblende from Antarctica. There is one thing which goes to waste here, and that is wind power. There is more power blowing somewhere about here every day than is generated in all the central stations of the world. If wo had proper equipment, we could harness the wind and generate all the electricity needed for power, lights, and heat. It may be taken for granted that future expeditions will do this, for is would-be a comparatively simple mat. ter. . The flog teams are still going South on the Barrier, Tiaving laid one base, and Larry Gould, . with Balchen and June, is still at the Rockefeller B-ange, having been delayed by bad weather. Both parties report that they are getting along well.

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