STILL NO TIDINGS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19031, 30 May 1925, Page 9

STILL NO TIDINGS.

THE POLAR ADVENTURERS. SHIP LEAVES IN SEARCH. UNFAVOURABLE WEATHER, WORLD-WIDE TENSION. HOPEFUL VIEW MAINTAINED By Telojiraph—Press Association— Copyrijjlit, (Received 8 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, May 29. A message received iri London at 1 a.m. to-day dramatically indicates that an unfavourable change in the weather has precipitated action at Spitsbergen and that a search for Captain Amundsen has begun. A copyright wireless message despatched from the Norwegian transport Farm at Spitsbergen at 7 p.m. last evening states: —" The tension hero is increasing. The weather is thickening and the clouds are hiding the mountains. Heavy snow is falling. The Ilobhy has been despatched to patrol the ice edge in accordance with Captain Amundsen's instructions in case of bad weather." A special message from Copenhagen says:—"The Politiken's Oslo correspondent reports that the Norwegian Air Shipping Union has decided to ask the Government to despatch two naval aeroplanes to Spitsbergen to assist in the search. The union previously telegraphed for the opinion of Lieutenant Horgen, the expedition's reserve pilot. Lieutenant Horgen replied that the search would begin a fortnight after the start as arranged by Captain Amundsen. Tension at Spitzbergen. An earlier copyright wireless message received from the Farm on Thursday said: " The tension throughout the world on account of the continued absence of news about Amundsen is reflected here. It is a week since the aeroplanes disappeared, and the time seems an ctcrnity. "We arc keeping close and intense watch, discussing all the possibilities of the flight.. Meteorologists, the ice pilot director, the firm which manufactured the aeroplanes, are all plied with questions. They reply that it is impossible to say anything. " Wo arc not over-anxious, as the absolute confidence of the airmen in their planes is too fresh in our minds. We remember that Larseu exclaimed once: ' If the meteorologists only provide us with twelve hours' clear weather, so that we can reach the Pole, then wo shall manage without them, taking 14 days to return if necessary.' " Several members of the expedition daily ascend the heights at Wellman's Bay for miles and gazo north toward the ice edge. Wc often discuss the possibilities of the aeroplanes having descended on the drift ice and considered the question of searching for them there, but Captain Amundsen's orders were clear that the vessels must remain here so long as the weather is clear until a fortnight after his start, and then only the ice edge is to be patrolled, if possible to North Cape in North-East Land. " Wo feel it is impossible tnat both aeroplanes would have used all their petrol and been compelled to land. The consensus of opinion is that good weather has induced the airmen to prolong their stay at the Pole to take complete observations. " With the present good weather conditions it will be some days before we really become anxious, though with each passing day the passibility increases that the airmen are already on their way to Capo Columbia afoot, if the aeroplanes were damaged at the Pole. " It is also possible that the aeroplanes may have been damaged on the return flight and that the airmen may now be walking toward Spitzbergen." Confidence of Meteorologists, Another wireless message from the Farm stated:—" On May 27 we received a meteorological report that on the day tho aeroplanes left for the Pole there was a large high pressure belt in tho Polar Sea. Therefore the two planes probably had light winds and clear weather, and did not encounter the low pressure system which is centred to the north-east of Russia. " This depression is forced high in tho direction of America, but is not far from the Polo at present. There is a light breeze in the direction of Spitzbergen, but it is not likely to get worse. " From May 25 tho Siberia disturbance moved eastwards. The Alaskan depression moved eastwards over Greenland, but between tho two there is obviously one high depression, centred near the Pole. " Therefore there is meteorologically no reason for anxiety at the airmen's fate. It is not a week since they left. " Captain Amundsen's instructions to the Farm's, commander stated that the (light and the landing at the Polo and possibly at other places might occupy a fortnight. Only at the expiry of this period will the ships begin to patrol the ico edge. Not till then will there be any grounds for assuming they are not returning by air, but en route on foot to Capo Columbia." Captain Algarsson, in an interview in Liverpool, stated that he was negotiating for the purchase of an aeroplane for use if required for a relief expedition. Ho said: "It appears that wo shall have to relinquish the intended flight to Alaska and concentrate on the rescue of Captain Amundsen. I think that ho is in difficulties. We ought to act quickly. It seems to me that it is clear that he has abandoned his plans." Discussion at Oslo. A message from Oslo states that the Norwegian Aero Club has discussed the question of preparations for aerial relief for Captain Amundsen. Experts contended that it was too early to send rescuers. In any case it was considered that an airship would be useless, and that flying boats or an ice ship would be best. It was pointed out that Captain Amundsen might havo encountered mist and have been unable to use tho sun compass, in which event ho -would have drifted and landed a long way from tho Pole, and would havo lost time and petrol in rectifying tho error. Mr. Bilatz, head of tho Dornier wprks, whore the aeroplanes wero made, states that so far everything has gono according to programme. Ho says: "Wo never expected Captain Amundsen to roturn iu less than a week or a fortnight."