PEACE AND QUIET

Evening Star, Issue 21717, 11 May 1934, Page 9

PEACE AND QUIET

ADMIRAL BYRD'S LONELY TASK SUFFERING FROM INTENSE COLD Tress Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. MONTREAL, May 9. (Received May 11, at 9 a.m.) A message from Little America says: “ To-morrow Admiral Byrd completes six weeks’ isolation at the advance post. He continues to report all well, with, the temperature ranging from 44deg to 61deg below zero. At times ho is suffering from the intense cold. Yesterday he declared over the radio; ‘ 1 am heating the stove economically to save fuel. The temperature in the shack is only 20deg above zero. It is quite cold at the telegraph key. However, I am used to that now. There is wonderful piece and quiet in a place like this. I am enjoying myself. Besides, my meteorological observations keep me busy. I have had considerable trouble with the instruments, but they are still running. I am also perfecting plans for the spring operations. The expedition must be ready to start. All units involved in the eastern and southern. operations must b© prepared to take the field with the first good weather in October.’ “ Here at the camp the expedition has finished, the most fascinating building project—Bog Town—whore 126 huskies have dwellings dug under the snow. Each dog is chained in crates something like cells in long rows. The dogs consume 6001 b of seal carcass each meal.” METEOROLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS In connection with Admiral Byrd’s vigil it will be remembered that Captain R. E. Scott, who commanded two expeditions to the Antarctic (in tho second ho perished with four of his party when returning to the base after reaching the South Pole), spent two winters there with his first expedition, which left England in July, 1901 j In his book, ‘ Voyage of the Discovery,’ he gave much interesting information about wintering in tho Antarctic. Throughout each winter the members of tho- expedition lived on board the ship Discovery, which had been specially built for voyaging in Polar seas. Concerning the recording of meteorological observations, which will be the most important work carried out by Admiral Byrd during his lonely sojourn in the Antarctic, Captain Scott wrote: “To obtain a complete record of meteorological observations was one of the most important scientific objects of the expedition, and it had been decided that the instruments should be read and recorded every two hours. And so in calm or storm, night and day, some member of our community had to be on the alert, and every other hour to make the rounds of the various instruments. ‘First the barometer would be visited, its reading and that of the attached thermometer registered; then at the screen the readings of the wet and dry bulb thermometers and of the minimum thermometer would be noted; then the anemometers and the wind direction had to be observed; then an estimate made of the force of the wind, and notes added concerning the nature, amount, and direction of movement of the clouds, and finally the various recording instruments must be visited to see that they continued in good order. On a fine night this was no great hardship, but in stormy weather the task was not coveted by anyone. On such occasions it was necessary before going out to prepare oneself carefully to resist the wind and snowdrift. And the round itself was often attended with exasperating annoyances. During the winter it •was always necessary to carry a lantern, hut it is not easy to construct a lantern which will remain alight in all conditions of weather. At first we tried a small electric glow lamp, but batteries and leads so easily get out of order that this was abandoned. Finally a candle lantern was evolved which was fairly satisfactory, but in the meanwhile many a time was the hapless observer forced to desist, in the middle of his work, to return and obtain a fresh light. The necessity of writing up the record sheet in the open was also trying in windy, cold weather; not only would onels fingers freeze very rapidly, but one’s breath would form an icy film on the paper through which it was difficult to make the pencil mark. . . . I may remark generally that it is quite a mistake to suppose that one grows hardened or more callous to the cold, either in one’s fingers or in any other part of the body; what does happen, however, is that one becomes more expert in keeping oneself warm. For instance, in handling cold metal one learns when to stop and to plunge one’s fingers back into a warm mit and how best to restore one’s circulation; and so in the long run when a cold job has to be done it is done more expeditiously and with less suffering after experience has been gained.”