AMUNDSEN RETURNS

Grey River Argus, 20 June 1925, Page 5

AMUNDSEN RETURNS

WITH HIS PARTY To Spitzbergen Plane Journey 625 Miles Flew Too Far West THREE WEEKS’ STAY NEAR POLE RETURN JOURNEY LARGELY MADE BY AIR. VANCOUVER, June IS. Amundsen has returned to Spitzbergen. NEW’ YORK, Jrne IS. rhe North American newspaper “Alliance,’’ announced that word has btcn received from Kings Bay, Spitzbergen, stating Amundsen and h's party liave returned safely. Beron Prentice, Mr Ellsworth’s brother-in-law, stated he had received word that all six members of the expedition have returned to Spitzbergen. LONDON, June 18. News of Amundsen’s safety came by radiogram from Heimdal, dated Spitzbergen, June IS, stating: — “We arrived at King’s Bay . all right at one o’clock this rm ni’” r. This was signed by Amundsen, Diepriohson, Ellsworth, Eeucht, Orldai and Riiserl arsen. Descent into Water PLANES FROZEN IN NO LAND SEEN. VANCOUVER, June 18. Amundsen failed to reach the Pole, buit, otherwise- it was a most successful expedition. Amundsen Hew north to what he believed to be the proper distance and descended into water, amon<_ r < the hummocks. The planes were quickly frozen tight. He estimates that he was a hundred miles from the Pole. The expedition returned afoot ahd saw no land. SEVERAL DAYS KIA N NOITRING. LONDON. June 18. Amundsen says that he ran into a fog. When he was able to take observations he found that he had Hown six hundred and twenty-five miles but over-far westward. He descended at one o’clock in the morning of May 22, upon water of the great iceland, where the machines were frozen in. He spent several days reconnoitring. ‘T believe that there is no lain, further north of this side ol ’ the Norwegian Arctic Ocean,’’ he states. Explorers Welcomed AT KING’S BAY.

IN THE LIGHT OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN. (Received June 19 at 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 19. A further copyright message from the 1 ‘ Heimdal, ’ ’ at Spitzbergen, states: * t There was a dramatic scene when Amundsen returned to King’s Bay. Crowds gathered on the Quay at about 10 p.m. to witness the Heimdal arrive. When, through a misty haze tho Norwegian sealer slowly entered the harbour, under the faint gleam of the midnight sun, many men were seen on dock. Suddenly, some aboard the I “Hobby’’ shouted: ‘lt’s Amundsen.’ Deafening cheers greeted the explorer, . and then we burst into song, singing the ‘National Anthem.’ Slowly, from the tired and worn out explorers, we were able to obtain their story, but, even before they began, we could sec how they had suffered.” ELLSWORTH SAVES COMRADES. “Amundsen states that the occupants of the two planes were separat- | ed for a long period, during which Ells worth saved Dietrichsen and Omdal from drowning. Whilst Amundsen and Riiser were on the other side of the ice lane, they heard cries for help. They were unable to assist, owing to drift icc making it impossible to effect a crossing in their canvas boats. ’ NORWEGIAN JUBILATION. (Received .lune 19 at 8.40 p.m.) OSLO, June 19. Amundsen’s return was not announced hero until 10 p.m., when crowds paraded the streets, cheering and singing. LONDON ELATED. LONDON. June 19. Tho news of Amundsen’s safety was welcomed most heartily. Tho fact overshadows even the Security Pact in most of the newspapers. CONGRATULATION. OSLO. June IQ. The Norwegian Government has telegraphed to Amundsen as follows: — “Congratuate you and brave companions on wonderful journey! Welcome home!’’

Story of Flight LANDING IN ICE ZONE TWO AND A HALF DEGREES FROM POLE. (Received June 19th. at 7.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 18. A copyright radio message from Captain Amundsen states he is aboard the “Heimdal” at Spitzbergen. The message says:—“Our planes left King’s Bav on May 21st. with a load approximating three tons. On our way t 0 Amsterdam Island, tests were car. Tied out on both planes, which con. eluded satisfactorily)) and hence, ac. cording to plans, the flight proceeded. We encountered a fog at Sydgnt, so we rOS e to a height of 3100 feet in order to -mgntn by tho aid of ho -lar

wr did nnt. leave behind until eight in the evening. For the remainder of the journey, the visibility was excellent. Observations showed that AT 10 O’CLOCK WE WERE TOO FAR WEST and probably this was due to north cast winds blowing above the fog, but we could not possibly observe the deviation in our course. Our course was then laid further to the cast, until, at 1 o’clock on the morning of May 22nd. when half our petrol was consumed. "We therefore decided to attempt to descend in order to secure definite bear, ings. with a vjfew to continuing our flight. We then were above a LARGE LANE IN THE H E which was the first of this size to be encountered. "We Hew lower, observing the surrounding ire and noting the danger of a sudden block in the ice lane. Not once during the trip had wo seen a suitable place to land. Nei. thor was there one here. So WE DESCENDED ON WATER in the ice lane. Our fears regarding the descent were not groundless, as Plane N. 25, immediately after landing, bgenme blocked between a mass of ice. While Irving to get the plane clear of the ice lane we found that the PLANE HAD FROZEN TTGTTT and grinned the other plane, N. 24. Ob. servatjonq during the night disclosed our position nc U+ifniln 87/44. lonrn_ hvh 10/‘?0 west. Tho diafonep thprefnm roverod in nnr cUht hours’ flight oxmctlv 1000 kiiomotrps, or 6°5 mdpq. of pp average snood of 750 I’iloTnpfros an hoar. But for a -hood wind, we would have gnf two hundred f’irther. We took two qniynflings. which indicated a donth of water of 2 7”0 inoffros. Tn Hie fol Invimrr flnvq wp studied Hi p drift 0' ” Wp observed the magnetic vr»nt’nn n lu ] the Tnptpornlogical sit.. Whilst wp were flvinir north. wrdq. v-n observed an area of about n-nn hundred thousand sciimro kilometres rpnehin" to about 89/30 dog. north. ‘ ll indjenfion of land in view, ■v’”.'’'-! tbn do-nth disclosed bv our sound. ~-o niqn fbihl- if is most inrnro. bnhle thnf will ho found further north on this side of the Norwegian • -’-Ha Ocean. TL n Lin*n , '*r PARTLY BY PLANE. WHY THEY TURNED BACK. LONDON, June 19. Cmitinuing his account, Amundsen stated: “Wo came to the conclusion that there were no grounds for assuming the conditions to be such as U> permit a landing further north, and that to land at the Pole with an opportunity to take observatitons or soundings, would bo impossible. We considered that only to fly over the Pole, without taking accurate observations of what possibly is merely ice, had no real significance, and was not worth taking great risks. We agreed, there fore, instead of continuing further north. Io lay a return course further east in order to cross hitherto undiscovered tracts?. With our ’plain's ire-blocked, and with the difficulty of raising them into th l ' air, the situation was acute. With a view to their lasting as long as possible, the daily rations were drastically curtailed. We concentrated all our energies in getting Plane N 25 clear. During the fol lowing 24 days, we experienced all kinds of difficulties, owing to the vagaries of the fickle Arctic Ocean. Eventually, Plane N 25 was freed, after the ' greatest exertion. The ’plane showed signs of strain, but it was rigged, being practically undamaged from tho pack ice to a starting place which we had levelled some distance awav. On June 14th, cracks opened in the ice, which threatened to remove one-third of our work on the

STARTED ON MONDAY. “On the morning of June 15, without attempting to lengthen the levelled snot, trials were made witli a greatly reduced load, nearly the whole of the equipment being discarded. We Kept, only a few stores and a minimum quantity of petrol, to enable us to project! southwards. Wp succeeded n getting awav amd a course was sit tor a "pot indicated.. At 10.40 ym fog we reached North Capi, after an exciting flight, partly through N,"th-east Land, the flight occupying eight hours and thirty-five minutes. Plane Safely Landed EXI’LOREJIS PICKED I I’. BY NORWEGIAN SEALER. (Received June. 19 at 11.22 p.m.) LONDON, • | u"e 19Aniundsen continued: We men landed, and awaited favourable winds tor a continuation of our flight, with our remaining 120 litres of petrol, to ai spot within range of the Hobby’s patrol area. We estimate the area observed on the. return trip as sixty thousand square kilometres. 'Hie expedition has observed a total of a. hundred thousand kilometres ot hitherto unexplored area. “Immediately alter our landing, a Norwesgian sealer, the “Sjoeliv, from Barras Fjord, passed wes - We at once went on board ot her. and were gladly I '^ eived ’ plane was taken in two. Inwards t night the wind frashened to a gay, so we were compelled to make for shelter under land on tho west side of Ladv Franklin Bay, rennun.ng. there during the night. Ibero *as no improvement on June 16th so <>'■> plane was secured on the land at Bay and the members of the expedition left with the “Sjoebv.”

PRAISE FOR PLANES. • During Ihe navigation of tho ■planes-, bur Goers solar compasses w ere. of essential importance, operating entirely satisfactorily. No other -plane except the Dornier type could have withstood the strain. he Rolls-Royce engines m the fit st few hours secured our confidence. Not once on the latter part of the flight during which there was possibility of landing, did w ® feel any anxiety During our stay in the 1101 Xnes always started instenttmoousIv and they saved the plane v «ere compelM to move it away from threatening P' aok ICC ’