Nelson Evening Mail TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1930 THE BYRD EXPEDITION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 11 March 1930, Page 4

Nelson Evening Mail TUESDAY, MARCH 11, 1930 THE BYRD EXPEDITION

THE rejurn of Hear-Admiral Byrd from the Antarctic i.s a notable event, not only because of his successful (light over the South Pole, but because of the excellent organisation and equipment of his expedition. The machine, in which the aerial conquest of South Pole was made, was a triple-motored, all-metal Ford monoplane, to which was given the name Floyd Bennett; and which had been put in order and made ready for its successful work, at the base of Little America. On 19th November it made its first trial flight, and in every way exceeded in its performance the expectations of the commander of the expedition and liis

aeronautical staff. Upon receipt of a ladio message from the geological party aL the Queen Bland Mountains, saying that favourable weather conditions might he expected, Commander Byrd, as he was then, accompanied by an aeriul pilot, a wireless operator, and a surveyor and photographer, set off on his 800 mile (light to the Pole, on 28th November. The difficulties were great, for not only had a range of mountains, nearly 12,000 feet in height, to bo crossed, but there was great uncertainty in relation to navigation oil account of the varying magnetic attraction, which necessitated the carrying of three different kinds of compasses. However, the high mountains were cleared successfully, though apparently with no great margin to spare, for we read of Commander Byrd dropping overboard a month’s rations, in order to lighten the ’plane, when, owing to her cargo of food and fuel, high flying was difficult. On the return trip a peculiar phenomenon manifested itself, in that the aspect of the mountains seemed to be quite different from what it had been on the journey towards the Polo. The flight of 1600 miles to the Pole and back was accomplished in eighteen hours and lifty-nine minutes, with one landing on the return journey at a base purposely laid against such an emergency, for the replenishment of the fuel supply. This notable flight won for Commander Byrd universal admiration, and as a mark of its appreciation the United States’ Government promoted him to the rank of Rear-Admiral.

Aviation was not the only feature of the Byrd Antarctic Expedition. A staff of geologists formed part of the body of specialists who had sailed south in the City of New York and the Eleanor Bolling, and doubtless they have carried out a geological survey over a wide area ini land from Little America. The result of I their work has a direct bearing upon the question of sovereignty over that part of the Antarctic traversed by the expedition. In November, 1928, the British Government sent to the Government of the United States a Note on this question of sovereignty in the Antarctic, in which region the British Government laid claim to a large portion of the territory which, it was expected, Commander Bvrd would survey. Strangely enough, it was not till 15th November, 1929, that the United States Government replied to the British Note and (we read in an American reference to the incident) although the U.S. State Department did not. go so far as to acknowledge Great Britain’s claim, it apologised for its delay in replying and thanked Great Britain for her offer of assistance to Commander Byrd, but ignored entirely the question of sovereignty in the Antarctic. With that question are involved rights over what are thought may possibly be important minerals, and fishing rights. But it is thought in some quarters that the U.S. State Department’s avoidance of the political issue involved, was to be attributed to the fact that it desired to conclude the present Naval Conference before opening up any such debatable questions as may be the outcome of ltear-Admiral Byrd’s explorations in Antarctica. Both in Great Britain and in Australia and New Zealand no stress has been laid on this question of America’s possible claims to part of Antarctica; unstinted admiration of Byrd’s leadership and aeronautical performances and the general success of his Expedition being expressed in every British country. New Zealand welcomes him and his men, on their return to civilisation, extends them the heartiest congratulations on their Antarctic performances, and wishes them a safe return to their own country. Reliance may be placed on Great Britain having laid claim to no more of Antarctica than she is entitled to.