UNDER THE ARCTIC BY SUBMARINE

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6873, 1 April 1929, Page 7

UNDER THE ARCTIC BY SUBMARINE

Wilkins’ Latest “HIGHLY IMPRACTICABLE,” EXPERTS SAY United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph —Copyright. Received Sunday, 7 p.m. NEW YORK, March 31. Sir Hubert Wilkins informed the New York Times to-night that he was conducting active inquiries into the possibility of making a submarine trip across the Arctic Sea, but that ho has no definit9 plans yet for doing so this year. , Admitting that he would like to bore his way through the waters beneath the polar ice to study the ocean depths and currents, Sir Hubert said: “I have had this trip in mind for fifteen years. I believe that the journey could he ■ made in a month and July would bo the most favourable. It would be possible to do it this summer and bo back in time to resume my Antarctic work in October next." Wilkins was non-commital when asked whether he planned an expedition for* the coming summer, but admitted it would require tho aid of some government he had been making inquiries. He said Stefannson had suggested the idea in 1913. ’ ■ - Unfavourable. Navy submarine experts regard Wilkins’ plan to cross the Arctic in a submarine as highly impracticable. It is learned that Wilkins asked tho Dcpartinent recently to provide a submarine for the venture, but the request "was not looked upon favourably.” The great depth of tho Arctic ice field and the limited underwater cruising range of the submarines were con- ' sidered the outstanding deterrents to tho accomplishment of the plan. It is pointed out that Arctic icebergs are often many hundreds of feet, below the surface of the sea, while the greatest depth ever attained by American underwater craft is 318 feet. The * underwater cruising range of a submarine is only 200 miles and should Wilkins’ boat exhaust its batteries while beneath an ice floe he would be trapped unless ho could blast a way out. It is seriously doubted if a depth bomb would be sufficiently powerful to work through the heavy sheet of ice. Wilkins Aftpr the Submarine STEFANNSON SEES THE DANGERS Received Monday 12.15 a,m. NEW YORK, March 31. .Sir Hubert Wilkins announces that he is consulting the Lake Torpedo ' Company for procuring -a submarine. He estimates tho distance in the Arctic to be traversed by a vessel—one of which is already available—with an “airlock" which would enable egress while submerged, would bo approximately 2000 miles. The cost of the expedition would bo 150,000 dollars. Stefannson, commenting on the venture, said “Of course it would please me very much if Wilkins adopted my plan, -but I am also worried because it is a very dangerous enterprise. Ten ot twenty years from now a submarine voyage-of this nature will be a commonplace thing without danger, but at present it is a mighty dangerous thing." Stefannson considers it would be feasible to blast the ice upward from the submarine. NANSEN WILL FLY TO POLE. GRAF ZEPPELIN’S PROPOSED VOYAGE. , Received Sunday, 11.0 p.m. WASHINGTON, March 31. _ Dr -Fridtjof Nansen will arrive in ,Washington shortly to consult the Government as to plans for a North Polar Voyage in the dirigible Graf Zeppelin in 1930. It will have its base in Alaska with a mooring mast. The area to be explored will be the Arctic ocean north of the American Continent between Alaska and Greenland. Terrestrial magnetic electricity and geography will be studied.