WILKINS TO RETURN

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 January 1929, Page 5

WILKINS TO RETURN

FAILURE TO FIND BASE ANOTHER TRY NEXT YEAR (Australian Press Association.) (By Cable —Press Assn. —Copyright.) (Recd. Jan. 11, 1 p.m.) LONDON, January 10. Wilkins in a wireless message states : ‘(Our present exploration trip is ended- To-morrow we will seek a place to store the machines and equipment, and investigate the possibility of a speedy return to civilisation. “This decision was reached following another flight when we travelled two hundred and fifty miles over the country recently traversed seeking a more southern base accessible by boat, and where more favourable conditions were likely. The surface appeared almost solid enough to land upon, yet we knew if the engine failed it would hurtle through the billowy masses of jagged peaks below. On account of the restricted load we were compelled to return home.

“We determined to postpone further efforts until next season, when we hope to establish a base on the continent itself, and start thence to fly along the unexplored coast of the 1800 miles of Ross Sea barrier.” BYRD EXPEDITION. NAMING NEW AREAS. BAY OF WHALES, January 9. Byrd has named the harbour he recently discovered as Floyd Bennett Harbour, in honour of his late colleague’s memory, and the cape which marks its northern entrance as Cape John Rodgers, after the Commander who was Byrd’s friend, and one of the Navy’s first aviators, who gave his life to aviation.

The harbour lies on the western side of the Bay of Whales, about a mile and a-half south of Cape West. It is nearly two miles wide, and seven miles deep. The centre forms a perfect landing field, which will be used by the ’planes only in case of emergency, as its distance from our main base, “Little America,” is about six miles.

When naming the harbour to-day in memory of his shipmate Floyd Bennett, the Commander intimated that if he gets into unknown regions at a later date he will probably give to another of the new discoveries the name of a flyer who was to have been his co-leader in the Antarctic expedition.

We now have eleven dog teams on the ice, and with the men hauling, are getting material to the base at the rate of five tons daily.