POLAR EXPLORATION

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 230, 29 August 1932, Page 7

POLAR EXPLORATION

TWO BIG VENTURES. PLANS OF SIR HUBERT WILKINS AEROPLANE AND SUBMARINE. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) NEW YORK, Aug. 27. The Australian explorer, Sir Hubert Wilkins, in a special interview, outlined two projects which will complete his Polar investigations, supplying tho remaining data on which to organise an international bureau for the purpose of establishing permanent meteorological bases in the Arctic and Antaictic zones and giving the northern and -southern hemispheres weather forecasts years in advance.

Sir Hubert has already spent eleven years on this work. He is particularly interested in the Antarctic and declares that the meteorological information would be of great value to Australia, New Zealand, the South American countries, California, South Africa, India, Malay and China. His first expedition will be an Antarctic aeroplane flight which his financial backer, Mr Lincoln Ellsworth, is conducting. It will leave Dunedin in November, 1933, and call at Australian ports on the return journey. They have purchased a 500-ton Norwegian whaling ship with auxiliary engines to take the aeroplane to the edge of the icefield in the Ross Sea. Thence they will set out on a flight of discovery from the Pacific to the Atlantic and return. It is 1500 miles across to the Weddell Sea.

Mr Northrop, designer of the Lockhead planes in one of which Sir Hubert flew across tho Arctic ocean, is now building at his New York factory a new type of single-engined aeroplane capable of a speed of 240 miles an hour, and carrying a lOOOlbs weight. It will also be capable of a 5000-mile non-stop flight, thus giving a margin of 2000 miles. OBJECT OF FLIGHT.

p It is not proposed to land at the Weddell Sea, but merely fly there and straight back with the idea of discovering whether the Pacific centre i consists of a large continent or whether it is split into groups of islands. . Sir Hubert in 1928-29 discovered 14 new islands in an area formerly thought to be part of the main An- , tarctic continent. Beyond these soutliward a continent apparently extended, but it has not yet been explored arid it is important to know its exact formation. There will bo aboard the aeroplane, Mr Ellsworth, Sir Hubert Wilkins, a meteorologist and Mr Bernt Balchen, the Norwegian who flew with Sir Hubert in the Arctic in 1925 when Sir Hubert, failing to obtain Australian assistance for an Antarctic expedition, changed his plans and went to the Arctic. USE OF SUBMARINE. The second project is another submarine crossing the Arctic ocean in the summer of 1934, Sir Hubert Wilkins himself commanding this expedition. He points out that the submarine cruise in 1931 did not accomplish all he intended in ascertaining the conditions under tho ice. It was experimental, but the scientific results were so successful that one American in- ' stitution immediately voted 10,000 dol- ; lars for the publication of the data ! which is being issued next month. These are concerned with oceanography, bottom samples, water contents, ocean temperatures, gravity measurements, and influence of gravity under northern conditions giving an idea of the geological content of the earth’s formation. The second expedition across the Arctic aims at determining the condition of mid-Arctic ice during the summer, enabling a decision to be made as to whether it is safe to camp on the ico of whether it is necessary to maintain the submarine beneath the ioe for meteorological observation. The submarine, which is simple in construction, will cost 75,000 dollars. Sir Hubert obtained tenders from Britain and Germany, but as the Americans are providing the backing it is probable the submarine will be built in the United States. The voyage will be less expensive than the previous venture, because he has retained 150,000 dollars’ worth of scientific equipment from the latter. The party will number seven and the expedition will start from Spitsbergen. SPONSOR OF THE SCHEMES. Mr Ellsworth is a remarkable man. He is 53 years of age and a wealthy bachelor. He is a geologist and civil ■ engineer and has a castle in Switzer- ’ land. His hobby is mountaineering. He shuns publicity and is devoted to scientific work. He flew with Amundsen in the Arctic in 1925 and was lost for six weeks. He also participated in the airship flight across the North Pole in 1927. Sir Hubert Wilkins, although American finance has enabled him to earn fame, still cherishes his Australian citizenship. When attending a conference of trans-oceanic aviators in Rome • last month he saw an American flag l stuck in the bonnet of his car. He would not enter it until someone found ■ an Australian flag which Sir Hubert Wilkins thenceforth carried. He underi stands the difficulty of obtaining Ausi tralian support for scientific enterprises. The conditions are very differi ent from those in the United States i where many millionaires are eager to . give substantial backing. Neverthe- ' less, he hopes to persuade the Australian and New Zealand Governments later to participate in his international 1 bureau. Sir Hubert Wilkins will be remembered by many Australian soldiers as the official photographer of the Western front. His spirit of adventure and utter recklessness of personal safety were evidenced by his repeated journeys to the front line accompanying the first attacking line and following the barrage carrying still and movie cameras. His pictures showing a few soldiers standing or kneeling with a background of grey smoke in no way indicate his perilous position. Between expeditions Sir Hubert makes an income by lecturing and writing newspaper and magazine articles. He points out that his scheme for a chain of meteorological stations is important from the Australian and New Zealand viewpoints. It promises reasonably accurate seasonal forecasts, and possibly many years in advance. Sir Hubert explains that the Antarctic is a mass of ice and is a refrigerating unit. It is important, therefore, to have details of the distribution of ice in the surrounding waters, also the influence of direction of low temperature currents from the Antarctic. Complete international cooperation is necessary for success. Peru and Chile are delaying their projected meteorological programme in the hope of wider combined action. Sir Hubert says his work hitherto has been practically without Government assistance. It only remains for a little geographical investigation to determine the best sites for tho weather stations.