JACOB RUPPERT

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 8 January 1935, Page 6

JACOB RUPPERT

BYRD EXPEDITION PARTY An arrival at. Wellington by the Maunganui yesterday from Norway, via the United States, was Commodore H J. !'■ Gjertsen who lias returned to the Cominion to rejoin the Byrd Expedition ship Jacob. Ruppert at Dunedin. lie left Dunedin for Norway in March last (says the “Post”). Commodore will be taking the Jacob -ttuppert from Dunedin to Little America to pick up the winter party,- ■ the- -aeroplanes, tractors, cows, and scientific • research men and return them--to .the -United. States. The. other expedition ship, Bear of Oakland, has already loft Dunedin for the south. According to plans announced by Captain R. A. J. English, prior to the departure Of the Bear of Oakland, the Jacob Ruppert. is to leave Dunedin on Saturday. If the ice is found to be impenetrable the Bear of- Oakland is to transport Admiral Byrd, his men, and the equipment, with the exception of the aeroplanes and tradtors, to the Jacob Ruppert ,011 the outer fringe of the ice pack. On the other hand, if it is a favourable' year -lor the ice, the Jacob Ruppert is to steam through to the Barrier and load all the equipment, stores, and personnel, and return to Dunedin before sailing finally for the United .States. Questioned as to whether he had been able to gauge the opinion held )in America towards the activities of ■ the expedition. Commodore Gjertsen said he was only in New York two days, and with many things ~to attend, to he had little time for discussion. Because of wliat .he had accomplished ■ in the past, the Americans had great admiration for Admiral Byrd, ancl they naturally expected big things of him. When lie arrived in Dunedin, Com-modore-Gjertsen said he would be getting in touch with Admiral Byrd,, and until then lie was unable to say definitely what the -plans would be. He thought, however, that. the expedition ships might put - into Wellington towards the. end of February before returning to tbe United States. Jo save coal tbe Bear of Oakland probably would be. towed most of tbe way to New York by the Jacob Ruppert, but that, of course, would depend upon tile weather. If conditions were stormy, the Bear of Oakland would have to steer her -own course. . Commodore Gjertsen said he did not think there would be any new . expeditions for some years. They were very expensive, and people could not afford to give millions for such work. As for the Ross Sea, he thought that was now pretty well worked out, and that some other starting point would have to be found. Exploration more to the eastward,'.between Graham’s Land and the Ross Sea, might prove to be a profitable field.