SIR H. WILKINS’ VENTURE

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 79, 15 March 1934, Page 9

SIR H. WILKINS’ VENTURE

Details of New Submarine TRIP TO “INACCESSIBLE POLE” By Telegraph—Press Association. WELLINGTON, March 14. Details of the new submarine that he intends building shortly for his next Arctic trip were revealed by Sir Hubert Wilkins, who arrived at Wellington from the South Island this morning. The plans had been prepared, he said, and he hoped its construction would be begun at the end of this year dr the beginning of next. The submarine Nautilus 11. would have a surface displacement of 850 tons with a surface speed of 14 knots, and would be driven at the rate of three knots an hour when under the ico. It would be propelled by four 10 horse-power Deisel engines. It would probably have a crew of seven, and would carry three scientists. Mr Lincoln Ellsworth, who had been associated with him on the previous trip and from whom he had received much help, would not be with him on the next expedition when the scientists would be engaged in taking deep-sea soundings i and forming a biological collection. I The North Pole was not his goal, j Sir Hubert stated. The main point at | which the expedition was aiming was ■ 400 miles away in the direction of i Northern Siberia, the “inaccessible : pole,” so-called because it was the ; farthest known point from any land area. ”1 am perfectly convinced of the i feasibility of using a submarine in the | Polar region, but perhaps the Royal I Meteorological Society has yet to be j convinced,” he remarked. “I will con- | vines them. I am sure the value of Polar exploration to meteorology needs no stressing.” “Continuous meteorological observe lions in other parts of the world wi : l i give us a fuller knowledge ns to the ; causes of weather changes.”