IN THE ANTRACTIC

Evening Star, Issue 21934, 22 January 1935, Page 9

IN THE ANTRACTIC

THE BYRD EXPEDITION RESULTS SUMMARISED pres* Association—By Telegraph—Copyright MONTREAL, January 20. A specially written article for the Australian Press Association by Admiral Byrd sums up the results of his second expedition virtually on the eve of his departure from Little America. He points out that geographical discoveries were only one of 22 points in the pro-

gramme of the expedition. Among the Tubjects studied had been astronomy, meteorology, physical oceanography, biology of oceanography, vertebrate and invertebrate /.oology, mammalogy, physiology, glaciology, stratigraphy, petrography, paleontology, tectonic and economic geology, geophysics, physical geography, cartography, physical and terrestrial magnetism, bacteriology, and botany. He declares that the first expedition was a preparation for the second, and he outlines the preparations for the second. He describes his first flight over the ice pack, and the voyage of exploration of the Bear* of Oakland, reaching 73.05 S , 149.30 W. The significance of the result of these operations, together with the subsequent exploration of the eastern sector, was the identification of a vast unknown area as the Pacific Ocean. It extinguished the hypothesis of an archipelago reaching into it.

Admiral Byrd describes the difficulties of re-establishing the old base camp and the necessity of building a retreat camp on the high barrier when the recession of the ice from the Bay of Whales made it seem possible that even Little America might break out. He declares that the autumnal operations were uneventful otherwise, except the crash and destruction of the Fokker aeroplane, the operation for appendectomy on Dr Boulter, and the fire threatening the surgical cache. Ho details some of his experience in his four and a-half months’ solitude at the advance base. He points out that the aerial enterprises beginning in November wore the investigation of such problems as the mooted transcontinental strait and the extent and character of Marie Byrd Land. He adds: “Like every effort directed towards the solution of unknown matters the flight'did not so much settle familiar problems as raise new ones, though it proved conclusively that the strait was non-existent; that the plateau of Mario Byrd Land rolls unbrokcnly from the South Pacific Ocean to Queen Maude Range; that the eastern margin of the Ross shelf ice is defined by the coast of that plateau, and that the structural integrity of Antarctica is verified.” Admiral Byrd then indicates the work of the trail parties, including Blackburn, Sijjple, and others, and concludes; “ We can say that the results of the expedition are nearly all we could rightfully hope for. We now have a better conception of the urea which in 1930 we lifted above the horizon. This newest of American discoveries is a magnificent sweep of territory running from the Pacific Ocean to the South Polo, encompassing over 200,000 square miles of territory. Superb mountains lift their gleaming packs through the glacial seas covering it, and the grand plateau marches over all but the tallest mountain tops.” Admiral Byrd finally outlines the scientific; work of every member of the expedition Dr Thomas C. Poulter, the physicist of the expedition, commenting on Admiral Byrd’s review, points out that .Byrd omitted the part he himself played, and in order that the leader’s experiences may not bo entirely lost he supplements the article as follows: “ When wo reached the Byrd advance base wo were shocked by his appearance—ho was emaciated, hollowcheeked, weak, and haggard.” Dr Boulter intimates that Byrd faced the gravest danger possible, the loss of his men tal balance, but he met the hazard with equanimity. His escape from death through the poison fumes of the oil stovo was miraculous. “ 111, alone, and helpless in the middle of the winter night, with three months’ darkness and the killing cold facing him, survival seemed impossible, so ho calmly wrote his instructions for his leaders, ending with the statement: ‘Don’t worry. Garry on normally—go as far as you can, carrying out our scientific programme, but put the lives of my men first. Do what you can for F.llsworth.’ ” Dr Poulter stresses Byrd’s unwillingness to call for help, and his maintenance of the meticulous records of a trained observer through his illness. “ When we reached the advance base he had fought it out alone. I know nothing finer than that in life or literature.”