ANTARCTIC REGION

Northern Advocate, 21 January 1935, Page 7

ANTARCTIC REGION

SECOND QUEST COMMANDER SUMS UP MUCH SUCCESS ACHIEVED. . THE UNKNOWN IDENTIFIED. (United Press Association— By Electric [.British Official Wireless.! (Received Noon.) MONTREAL, January 20. A specially written article for the Australian Press Association by RearAdmiral Byrd sums up the results of his second expedition virtually on the eye of his departure from Little-Am-erica. He points out that geographical discoveries were only one of 22 points ;in the programme of the expedition. Among the subjects studied had been astronomy, meteorology, : physical oceanography, biology of oceanography, vertebrate and invertebrate zoology, mammalogy, physiology, glaciOl- \ ogy, stratigraphy, petrography; paleon- ‘ tology, tectonic and economic geology, geophysics, physical geography, cartography, physical and terrestrial magnetism, bacteriology and botany. ; He declares that the first expedition was a preparation for the second and outlines the preparations for the second. He describes his first flight over the ice pack, and the voyage of exploration of the Bear of Oakland, reaching 73.05 s. 149.30 w. The significance of the result of these . operations, together with; the subsequent exploration of the eastern, septor was the identification of a : Vast ...unknown area as the Pacific OceaiL It extinguished the hypothesis of an archipelago redcharig into'it.

Rear-Admiral Byrd describes the difficulties of re-establishing the old base ’ camp and the necessity of "building a retreat camp on the high barrier , when the recession pf the" ice-from the > Bay of Whales made, it seem possible that even Little , Ameripa ,might break out. He declares that the- autumnal operations were uneventful otherwise, except the crash and - destruction of the Fokker aeroplane, the operation of appendectomy on Dr. Poulter,- and. the fire threatening the surgical cache.'

Problems Investigated. >: He details some of his experience.in his 4J months’ solitude at the advance base. He points out that the aerial enterprises. begifihing' 'in November ■ ' were the investigation of such problems as the mooted trans-continental strait and the extent and character of Marie Byrd Land. ■

The Commander adds: ‘‘Like every effort directed towards the solution- of unknown matters, the flight did' nbt'so much settle familiar problems: as false new ones, though it proved conclusively that the strait was non-existeht; tMat the plateau of Marie Byrd Land rolls unbrokenly from the South Pacific Ocean to Queen Maude Rangel' that the eastern margin of the Ross .shelf ice is defined by that plateau, and that the structural integrity of Antarctica is verified.”-

Magnificent Area. ; Rear-Admiral Byrd .then. indicates the work of the trail parties including Blackburn, Sipple and others, and concludes: “We can say that thei results of the expedition are 'nearly all we could rightfully hope for. We now have a better conception o£ : the ".area which in 1930 we lifted above the horizon. .' .■ ",

This newest of American discoyeries is a magnificent sweep : of. territory running from the Pacific Ocean, to' the South Pole, encompassing over 200,000 square miles of territory. -Superb mountains lift their gleamingv peaks through the glacial seas covering it, and the grand plateau marches over all but the tallest mouhtain tbps.’' Rear-Admiral Byrd finally outlines the scientific work of every member of the expedition.' • . *

Heroic Exploit. Dr Thomas C. Poulter, the physicist of the expedition, commenting ■ on Rear-Admiral Byrd’s review, points out that Byrd omitted the part he himself played, and in order that the leader’s experiences may not be entirely lost he supplements the article as follows: “When we reached the Byrd advance base we were shocked *by his appearance—he was emaciated,, hollbwcheeked, weak and haggard.” Dr Poulter intimates that Byrd faced thfs gravest danger, the possible loss of - his mental balance, but he met the hazard with equanimity. His escape from death and the poison -fumes of the . oil stove was miraculous. !

“111, alone, and helpless in the middle of the winter nightrwith three months darkness and the killing:, cold. Jlacing him, survival seemed impossible,-so he calmly wrote his instructions lor his leaders, ending with - the • statement: ‘Don’t worry. Carry on normally—go as far as you can, carrying out our scientific programme, but put the'lives of my,, men first. Do what you can for Ellsworth!’ ”

Dr Poulter stresses Byrd’s unwillingness to call for help, and his maintenance of the meticulous records of a trained observer through his illness. “When we reached the advance base he had fought it out alone. I know nothing finer than that life literature.’*