EXPEDITIONS' AIMS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 54, 1 September 1934, Page 9

EXPEDITIONS' AIMS

The British Arctic Expedition sought to explore ,tho hinterland of Greenland's . cast coast between , Sernilik Fjord and Scoresby : Sound. This territory is guarded by a 450-mile barrier of ice from the west,' and from the east coast seaboard by very steep mountain country intersected by glacier valleys. Several parties have already unsuccessfully attempted to penetrate this land. Owing ;,-tb. the difficulties of access from the east the loader decided to approach the region from the west by traversing the ice cap, which rises to about. 9000 feet and stretches over the continent. This made the distance to be covered by sledge about 1000 miles in all, 800 miles of the route being at a height of over 8000 feet (above sea-level. The party was to carry its own food supplies, and the journey, when completed, would be by far tho. longest made by a self-sup-porting expedition without food depots iri-a land where no: game is to bo. found. It was hoped to complete tho journey in sixty days, and the sledges were to have-boon rigged with sails.

As the journey progressed it was proposed to kill the dogs to feed the others, the party planning to start with three sledges and. forty-two dogs, and finish 'with bno sledge and seven dogs. Tho, expedition was to start" from Disko, Bay, cross the continent 'to tho mountains behind Scoresby Sound, turn south to Mount ITorels, and then make for tho coast. Prom there they ■were to have been taken in Eskimo boats to Angmagssalik. , a ■'-.-■ '

Tho Ryniill Antarctic expedition, which is backed by the Colonial Office and the Royal Geographical Society, seeks to., attack the Antarctic from the most difficult and least explored side—the Weddell Quadrant. Rymill's plan is to sail to Deception Island, and thence down the coast of what is sometimes called the Antarctic archipelago, to Marguerite Bay,;where Jenny Island lies. There will be an aeroplane scouting ahead before the ship is brought down the coast of the archipelago. It will then be possible to investigate whether.'the Crane Channel which Sir Hubert Wilkius saw from the air, .separating North and South Grahamland, is really a channel, or, 'as seems mo'ro likely, a glacier. . ' ; Later, Rymill hopes to-saii to- Stofaas- j

son Strait, separating tho archipelago from the main continent, which Wilkins photographed and two whale gunners looked down some years ago. Hero Rymill hopes to set up a camp on the mainland and explore the ■\Vedcloll coast.

If over -this camp is set up it will mean that si great measure of success liiife been achieved.' Tho chances arc, however, that it will bo impossible to sail south oi! Mavgucrito Bay. To lcavo the ship there entails a dangerous and difficult .journey along tho coastal icfe; and thus much of tho expedition's hopes turn on the navigability of a comparatively few miles.