FLIGHT TO SOUTH POLE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 20 December 1927, Page 5

FLIGHT TO SOUTH POLE.

COMMANDER BYR D’S PLANS. AN AMERICAN ADVENTURE. BY CABLE—PRESS ASSOCIATION—COPYRIGHT. WASHINGTON, Deo. 18. Commander Byrd informed the National Geographic Society of has plans for his flight to the South Poll?. He said: “The last great challenge to an aviator to explore comes from the Antarctic Continent.” He further .said the personnel and equipment of his expedition would he taken to the base at Great Ross Barrier in a .ship especially built to withstand ice. Three'- planes will be used, with which he hopes to lay down ba.ses 100 miles apart' to the edge of the unexplored area and fill in “the great blank spaces on the maps of school children at the rate of 100 miles an hour.” The party will be composed of six Ftsquimos and the. rest will consist of a dozen men who are expert at the work. Commander Byrd added that he had already received over 300 applications from persons, young and o’d. who desired to participate in the expedition. He stated: “The primary object of the expedition is scinetifie, and we hope to plant the American flag on the South Pole, photograph geological sections of rugged mountainous cliffs, and search for fossil remains in an effort to disclose something of the past. I will depart from South America for the Antarctic and hope a valuable by-product of the expedition will be the cementing of goodwill between the United States and South America.” He concluded: “It- is my intention to make, the expert : tion completely an American venture.”