MELTING POLAR ICE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19962, 2 June 1928, Page 11

MELTING POLAR ICE.

GERMAN DEVICE WANTED. WILKINS MEETS DIFFICULTY. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received June 1, 5.5 p.m.) BERLIN, May 31. Captain G. H. Wilkins says he proposes to use flame-throwers in the Antarctic in order to melt the ice and to make a smooth track to enable, tho aeroplane to rise, and thus overcome the greatest difficulty of a Polar flight. As the Treaty of Versailles forbids Ger many to make flame-throwers Captain Wilkins proposes to ask tho Allied Governments to consent to the manufacture of a few:.

EXPEDITION BY BYRD. POSSIBLE RACE TO POL-E. Australian and N.Z. Press Association. (Received June 1, 7.15 p.m.) NEW YORK. June. 1. It is announced that Captain G. H. Wilkins' agent will open offices in New York to-morrow, to begin preparations for his Antarctic expedition. The explorer will arrive in New York on July 2. It is indicated that something in the nature of a race between Commander Byrd and Captain Wilkins to reach the Pole will occur. Commander Byrd said he was not interested in such a race, and he intimated that apparently all that Captain Wilkins could do would be to take four or five men and a plane for a Polar flight, without being able to compete with Byrd in the exploration, which tho latter wished to carry out. However, both parties plan to place their bases near each other at the Bay of Whales, and it is expected each will try to reach the Pole first.