BYRD EXPEDITION

Northern Advocate, 26 November 1928, Page 7

BYRD EXPEDITION

LOADING THE FREIGHTER

FLAGS FOR THE SOUTH

WELLINGTON, This Day,

Members of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition have been working strenuously at the task of loading equip--ment and stores into the supply steamer Eleanor Bolling, which arrived on Friday from Dunedin. The loading of the huge crates and cases containing the fuselages, wing sections and engines of the four 'planes into the 1500-ton steamer was no small task. The Harbour Board provided every facility, including the use of its floating crane Hikitia. The Eleanor Bolling has a fdrehatch measuring 40ft long by 22ft wide, to take the bulky packages, but even so their safe stowage presented some nice problems in stevedoi'ing. Commander Richard E. Byrd, accompanied by Mr Russell Owen and several officers, left on Saturday for Christchurch, en route for Dunedin. At Christchurch they will make a pilgrimage to the fine statue of Captain Scott, executed* by Lady Scott, and Commander Byrd will lay a wreath at the base of the statue as a , tribute to the memoryj of the great British Antarctic explorer. Commander Byrd was the guest of the Governor-General and Lady Alice Fergusson at luncheon on Wednesday, and with several members' of his party he dined at Government House on Thursday.

When lie starts from the ice barrier in the monoplane Floyd Bennett, on his 1500 mile flight to the South Pole and back, Commander Byrd will carry with him an historic memento in the form of a blue and white pennant which Captain Eoald Amundsen, the famous Norwegian explorer (who perished a few months ago when he went in a ’plane to the rescue of members of the Nobile North Pole 'expedition), carried to the South in 1911. Amundsen, with four companions, 52. dogs and four sled'ges left his base at the Bay of Whales on October 19, 1911, reached the South Pole on December 14, and arrived back at Framheim on January 25, 1912, the whole journey taking 98 days. On that memorable occasion the pennant was borne on a sledge. This time it will carried by Commander Byrd in his great allmetal tri-motored 1000 horse-power monoplane. It is to become the permanent property of the Aero Club of Norway when he brings it back in 1930.

Commander Byrd will, of course, carry the American flag with him to the South Pole. In addition, he will also have the flags of his native State of Virginia, >6f the State of California, and that of the American Legion. He has also publicly announced since his arrival -at Wellington that he will take with him the British flag and the New Zealand ensign, the former in honour of the memory of Scott and Shackleton, and the latter in recognition of the Dominion’s intimate association with Antarctic exploration expeditions.

WELCOMED IN THE SOUTH. . WREATH PLACED AT STATUE. (Per Press Association. —Copyright.) CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Commander Byrd and party arrived from Wellington on Saturday morning and were met at the station by the Mayor, Town Clerk and the American Consular Agent Mr H. P. Bridge. In the afternoon Commander Byrd deposited a wreath at the foot of the Scott Statue, in the presence- of a large assemblage of the public, including representatives of local bodies, CITY OF NEW YORK ARRIVES. . I (Per Press Association.—Copyright.) DUNEDIN, This Day. After a fine weather passage of three months from New York, the Byrd Expedition ship, City of New York, arrived at Port Chalmers with Captain Melville in command and a crew composed of sailors, many of whom are on their maiden voyage.

Captain Melville, who has visited New Zealand on a number of occasions in sailing vessels says he was never aboard a better sea boat and anticipates no serious difficulties in the ice trip to the Ross Sea which will take three weeks.

Thirty-three men, all told, are aboard, many being scientists. Mr H. Harrison is aerologist; ,Mr Frank Davies, magnetic expert; Mr G. H. Black, head tractor instructor. Mr L. K. Greulie, the radio operator, -was with Commander Byrd in the North Pole expedition. Doctor Francis Coman, associated with one of the foremost research institutions in America. Two of the three radio operators have been loaned by the United 'States Navy Department. Of the three lads, who stowed away, Robert Lancer, is the lucky one. He is a negro orphan and wants to be the first black fellow to get to the South Pole.

The vessel docked for (cleaning and inspection, A number of seamen will serve in the shore party as tractor operators, dog drivers, ski exports and ice pilots.