POLAR EXPEDITION.

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVIII, Issue 10736, 6 November 1928, Page 6

POLAR EXPEDITION.

g- DASH TO SOUTH POLE. COMM Ai.VDER~b’v KD IN AYELL- ' ' INC TON. ; • SECOND ' VESSEL DUE TN TEN /. 2 .. ;Da.ys.-.. •... : . i tmil PLANEs">rAY. BE USED. , ■ (Prew. Association.! V 1..,; . WELLINGTON, Nov. .4. ThaC.. A- Larsen, .with Commander Richard Byrd and 15 members of .his polar expedition aboard, arrived in the ■ stream; at daybreak this morning, and berthed at. noon at Pipitea' wharf, after the voyage from San Pedro, California. * ... The (.programme, stands ni.altered from what already has been announced,-. and Commander Byrd had nothing ,to 'add to what-has .appeared from time.to time. The., Lrsen. carries four planes, one large and three, small. - Commander Eyrd considers it probable that the altitudes estimated by Capt. Amundsen and others are excessive, and anticipates that probably the extreme a it-iHide-required "to cross the moim Cams will',be 9509 ft.

The Eleanor Bolling, on her way from Papeete, is duo-here in about time, and the City of New iork' should arrive in about three weeks, but, being sailers, nothing can be .stated - definitely. These carry the bulk' of the'party. The C, -A. Larsen will proceed almost immediately to Dunedin, but the members of the party who arrived in her. will remain in Wellington' for/ three' weeks-. The first week is. expected. to be taken up in check-ing-and loading ' stores, and the remaining. portion of .the stay will be available for-- touring New Zealand, golf and fishing, at both of which Commander Byrd is proficient. The other, two .ships will both'come to Wellington and remain here quite a b.-There are A3' men in the two vessels, more than half of whom will come back after a short stay in Antarctica, only 35..0r 40 men remaining until February the following year, practically a. 15 months’ stay. Commander Byrd wishes it to .be understood that he is not setting out with the intention of making wonderful additions to Antarctic knowledge, as so much has already been accomplished. He will be very content indeed if. lie can add a little to the wonderful work already dene hv Scott, ' Shacldeton, Mawson and others.

. 'J'Jie planes are the chief addition to: the (equipment possessed over other .expeditions. It if hoped to acquire locally a. boring plant for the purpose ol determining the depth of the ice cap in the stretch between Loss and Weddell Seas: Commander Byrd takes 15,000 gallons of petrol and 7000 gallons of oil south. : Commander Byrd- said some of the maps describing, the llights are now found to-be inaccurate. The flight Will not be. entirely . across... Amtare tioii,. but, will be to the Bole and back at' a slight angle, a series ol such Triangles enabling the map ' of. the whole continent. The prim ary object to the trip is not an attack on the Pole, but exploratory. A MOTLEY STATE. COM MANDEB- PLEASED WITH RECEPTION. (Pi ess Association.' MTELLiNOTON, Nov. 5. Besides Commander Byrd and members of bis party, who arrived to-day, are R. G. Brophy, business manager for Mr Dean Smith ; Captain Alton M. Barker, of the United States Marine Court; Bernt Balchen, a Norwegian, who has previously served with Commander Byrd, and Harold J. June, of West Navy, all four air pilots; Lieut. Ralph Shropshire, assistant navigator to the • scientific staff; Milliard Wander '‘Veer, movie man; Russell Owen, representative of the New York Times, fin(yv newspaper man aboard; KenLard Bubier,- of the U .S. Marine yoXlrt- (mechanic); Martin Ronne, :( w.lto was saiimaker with Amundsen on the Pram, who will make all the tents', special clothes*, etc.; Benjamin Both, 1 U.S. Army, mechanic; Epaimondas Dernas, ‘ which is only half his real. surname; Charles Lofgren, chief ye'oirian of the U.S. Navy, the secretary of the party. There are amongst the members of the expedition Jews, Greeks, Italians and. French. Nearly all are. mechanics; some are Engineers, and with a fair’ .sprinkling of. genuine “Yanlts,” who are proud of the name. There is hardly a man in the party who could not- turn his hand to*'.another man’s ]ob, with a fair hope, of success. Of all the Army and Navy men aboard, however, only June is on leave, all the other? having, cither retired or having left to take part. “The* camera to he'used takes automatic pictures,” conrinued Commander Bvrci,' “and tiie whole will be made irii6 maps. If the weather is right, we_Otin .do that at eighty mTies per hour, which, we think, will be a great improvement over the old method,.’' . . A warm tribute io the spirit m which he has . been met here was voiced by Commander Byrd. “I greatly appreciate the hospitality" already extended on all sides,” lie; said. .“I great!r appreciate thie Government sending its . representatives out to me; in Islet, everybody has been so reedy to ' meet nr. - that we feel already that, we are among friends and that we are welcome. I dare say New Zea land is more interested in Antarctica than any other place in the world.”

• RACE TO POrTH POLF; “MAY BEST MAN WIN' ’. SAYS > RIB;. P.' BELL IVreHB Asßocla.tlon.l , . . -WELLINGTON, - Nov. o. ■Enthusiastic scenes were witnessed in the concert chamber of the .Town Hall to-night, when- Commander Byrd and party were accorded a civic reception. ' - . , Said the Mayor (Mr G, A Troup): “We want you to feel while 1 you are with us that- you are apnongst friends.—(Applause)—for between vour great country and ours there has always been the greatest good-' will and - friendlv - feelings.- A Applause).. In you, Commander Bvrd) wje .are ail especially interested (.applause), . for we havebeen thrilled by your intrepid flights to the North'Pole and later across the Atlantic o,cean from America to Europe. (Applause). No individual in the -world, say© yourself, can be credited with having accomplished both of these daring taste (Applause) and; when you .reach • the South Pole, as wc believe and trust you", willVthen you will ,have addedfdrthpr "laurels to your already lull life and experiences.” (Applause). • Speaking on behalf of- the Government, Sir Francis Bell said the race to -the Pole between Commander Byrd and Sir H. Wilkins was nearly pnual to that between Scott and Amundsen. don’t, think., I- can fairly sav I hope Commander Byrd will get-there first”; said Sir Francis-■ Bcll;^amidst laughter, bbt--I hope’ tine best man will get there first’’ v (Applause); -He hoped Com-, mandarLßyrd, would return with further • laurels. (Applause). M hen he did'• return; his reception ; U.ould.be no leas hearty -than if tne feat had

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