UNDER THE ICE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 14 June 1939, Page 11

UNDER THE ICE

NORTH POLE TRIP SIR 11. WILKINS* PLANS SEEKING A SUBMARINE j U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright; j LONDON. 10th June. | The noted Polar explorer. Sir Hubert Wilkin?, is negotiating with three shipyards for the construction of a submarine in which he proposes to traverse Lhc Arctic Circle under the ice. His plan is to cross fro mSpitzbcrgen to the Bering Sea. leaving England in June. 1940. Sir Hubert said to-day : “For many years I have contemplated this expedi-

| tion, the difficulty about which at present is to induce ship-builders to construct the submarine at a time when they are immersed in naval building. ‘ However. I am hopeful that a shipbuilding friend may squeeze the submarine in between his Admiralty coni raets. ONLY FIVE MEN IN THE CREW -The voyage will demonstrate the possibility of using a submersible vessel for permanent scientific occupation, where islands are not available, as part of a general programme of investigating and forecasting world-wide weather conditions. “The submarine will carry two scientists and a crew of five, to be chosen fro mSOOO applications from Britain. Russia. France, the United States. Sweden. Australia, and Germany. Probably the selection of the crew will depend on their experience with submarines. “The vessel will be Diesel-engined and be completed in six months at a cost of £25.000. which I am defraying. “Experience has convinced me that the simplest type of submarine is necessary. so to avoid the defects which develop in a normal vessel's operation mechanism must be reduced to a minimum NO ICEBERGS IN ARCTIC SEA “My 1931 expedition did not encounter many of the predicted difficulties. For instance, the cold was not excessive T experienced (58 below zero in an airship. which was 98 degrees colder than in a submarine. “Surface ice was not a hindrance, be--1 cause it did not extend 10 feet below the surface. We possessed an apparatus ! to pierce the ice and make an opening * I enabling the batteries to be recharged although it was impossible to bring the complete submarine to the surface. “We did not experience the iceberg bogey; there are no icebergs in the Arctic Sea ”