NOT FLYING FROM POLE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19040, 10 June 1925, Page 9

NOT FLYING FROM POLE.

AMUNDSEN AND PARTY. THE HOPE ABANDONED. AMERICAN PLANES TO SEARCH. AIRSHIPS' AID REFUSED. By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyrisht. (Received 10.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z. LONDON, Jum* 9. An official message from Oslo states that the meteorological and aviation representatives of Norway who have been to Spitsbergen in connection with Captain Roald Amundsen's flight have given up hope that the six airmen will return from the Pole by aeroplane. All the officials have now returned to Bergen. A message from Washington reports that the Secretary to the Navy, Mr. Curtis Wilbur, states that his department is not going to " start on a wildgoose chase into the Arctic." Mr. Wilbur's statement is in reply to an appeal from the Norwegian Aero Club circulated through the North American newspaper Alliance, that the dirigible Los Angeles or the Shenandoah should attempt to find Amundsen. Mr. Wilbur said there wero too many practical difficulties. The Arctic temperature would cause rain and snow to freeze in layers on the envelope, of an airship. This extra weight might compel the dirigible to descend. ' The temperature might, furthermore, stiffen the lubricating oil in the engines. Mr. Wilbur indicated that the three naval amphibian aeroplanes to be attached to the McMillan expedition which is to sail from Boston on Wednesday, would endeavour to find the Amundsen party.

The McJLillan expedition is a private ono, but the United States Navy Department will assign pilots arid will lend two aeroplanes. It has been organised for the exploration of the region between Alaska and tho North Pole in the hope of finding the Arctic continent long believed, to exist there. It is said to be the only remaining "blind spot" on the map in the north, comprising about 1,000,000 square miles of unexplored territory. The attitude of tho United States Navy Department in regard to sending airships to the Arctic- is consistent with that adopted last year. Tho Secretary to the Navy, by express instruction of President Coolidge, susS ended all preparations for a proposed forth Polo trip by the airship Shenandoah until the authorisation ot Congress was secured. The venture, however gallantly undertaken, was nevertheless regarded as one of great danger, and Mr. Coolidgo was of no mind to bear alone the responsibility and the reproach for possible loss of life. Early in 1924 the Shenandoah broke away from her mooring mast at Lakehurst and flew through the night in a heavy gale. This was followed by stories that the men aboard regarded tho North Pole trip as u suicide," and rumours grew as it became known that changes had been ordered in the personnel commanding the airship. Admiral Moffett, who had intended to make the voyage, was frankly crestfallen at the turn affairs have taken and announced that if the decision of Congress were delayed for 10 days it would be too late to make the necessary preparations. The trip has never eventuated.

"FILMING THE RESCUE." AVIATOR GOING TO ARCTIC. JACK KEARNS' SCHEME. LOS ANGELES. May 29. Jack Kearns, the boxing manager, who is in the picture business during the absence of Jack Dempsey in Europe, is financing the aviator, Mr. Haakon Hammer, who was a co-explorer with Captain Amundsen in 1921. He says that he hopes that Mr. Hammer will leave next week for the Arctic to film the rescue of the Amundsen expedition.