POLAR EXPLORATION

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 20 May 1926, Page 5

POLAR EXPLORATION

AMBITIONS ACHIEVED.

AMUNDSEN SATISFIED lIIS LAST EXPEDITION. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. VANCOUVER, May 17. On departing from Teller the. other members of Amundsen’s expedition offered Captain; Amundsen their services if ho should at, any time undertake another Polar expedition. The leader replied: “When I Avas a young nnan I made up my mind to Visit the globe’s tAvo poles, and pass through the northwest and: nortli-east passages. Noav that I haA T e done these things, a. neAV generation can take up the Avork, for this is my last A’isit to the far north.” One of the members of the expedition stated that during Thursday last they suffered frightfully from cold, and the fog wa,s so had that they had to open the AvindoAVS and a hurrioa.no of Arctic air rushed through the cabin. The proA’isions consisted of sandwiches, boiled eggs and meat cakes. These Ave.re frozen solid, but the coffee and tea in thermos bottles remained, hot. After passing BarroAA T there Averc difficulties the Avhole time till they landed at Teller. Over Alaska they Avere hopelessly lost, and Avliile the actual distance from .Spitsbergen to Teller is 2700 miles, they actually covered 3300 miles through AA-andering in the fog. AIRSHIP BADLY DAMAGED. STRENGTH OF~THE WIND. NOME, May 18. According to persons A-isiting Teller, the, dirigible Avas so badly damaged through landing on Thursday that some of tlie creAv declare her Avreclced. When, Port Clarence Avas sighted, the Norge had lost her Avav, and Avas being carried towards the mountain by the Avind. After, some gas had been released the ship settled a little and the men climbed down the rope and held her. Moat of the damage Avas done by a gust of wnicl’ Avhich caught her just as she xvns beginning to- rest firmly, on the ice. When the Norge reached Teller she is, said to, haA-e carried about a ton of ice, OA-er lOOlbs of AA-liieli AA-as on the antennae of the Avireless outfit, thus disabling the radio. After deflation was avcll advanced the airship Avas pushed 350 feet over the ice by the wip’d, despite the. fact that the crew Avere clinging, to the ropes. Amundsen, EllsAvorth and two other members of the creAv are living in a, log cabin here, awaiting the departure of the first- steamer to the United States, which is expected to leaA*e on June 15. Colonel Xobili’s assignment at Teller. according to Amundsen, is to dismantle the Norge. ANOTHER. EXPEDITION PLANNED. A FIVE YEARS’ SURVEY. NEW YORK, May IS. Despite the negative findings of Amundsen, that there is still the probabilitv of a great tract of land between the Pole and Alaska is the opinion of the sponsors of an American Arctic expedition leaving in the summer in three aeroplanes for a three to, five years’ survey of the Polar regions. Mr Robert Pole, chairman of the committee, in a statement said: “Amundsen’s observations are of great assistance, but are not final, as lie inspected less than 10 per cent, of the region between Alaska and the Pole.” Permanent bases aaull be established at WainAvright., Alaska, Ilersehel Island, and on any uoav land discovered, to facilitate the- future air navigation in the Arctic. - FLIGHT TO SOUTH POLE. BYRD ’S NEXT VENTURE. TO START THIS YEAR. Received 10.10 a.m. to-day. NEW YORK, May 19. A message from; ’Spitsbergen states that Copi man tier, Byrd has announced that he Avill fly to the South Pole. He Avill start from NeAV York by ship in the middle of September, taking two Fooke ’planes. He Avill attempt to reach Framheim, Avhich Avas used by Captain Amundsen as a base Avhen he visited the South Pole, and will start the flight from there, using both ’planes. If he, reaches the Pole, he plans to' return north next spring and fly from, Etah, Greenland, exploring the Arctic sector in that district, Avest of Spitsbergen, Avhich lie; had hoped to explore this year. Commander Byrd’s ship, Chantier, is scheduled to leave King’s 'Bay for London to-day. Floyd Bennett, avjio accompanied 'Commander Byrd to the North Pole as pilot, Avill pilot one ’plane, and Bcrnt Barlchen, a NorAvegian, Avill probably pilot the other. A Norwegian ice pilot Avill also be taken! to Framheim base. —Aus.-N.Z.’ Cable Assn.