INTREPID EXPLORER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20519, 21 March 1930, Page 13

INTREPID EXPLORER.

SIR HUBERT WILKINS.

RETURN FROM ANTARCTIC.

PENDING ARCTIC VENTURE.

By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. NEW YORK, March 19. Sir Hubert Wilkins was interviewed at New York on his return from the Antarctic. The explorer said he intended immediately to begin to confer with engineers and technicians relative to his proposed Arctic submarine expedition. The expense of the undertaking, as well as the difficulties of preparation, were giving him the most concern, but he believed the necessary arrangements would be made. Owing to the length of time necessary for the preparations for the Arctic trip Sir Hubert will not start upon it until the summer of 1931. Probably he will take about a month to cross from Alaska to Spitzbergen.

Plans have been drawn for a special submarine, the builder of which does not wish his name to be revealed at present. Sir Hubert said the trip would not be nearly as hazardous as was his former aeroplane flight, in which if he had beeu forced down he would probably have been lost, as he could not have walked back over 200 miles of ice. The submarine crossing would not be nearly so dangerous, as he could find holes or bore openings in the ice, which was not nearly so thick in the summer as was popularly supposed.

Speaking of his Antarctic work, Sir Hubert said his explorations by air had shown that the coast-line of the Antarctic continent was an average of 8 degrees further south than had hitherto been believed. He had chipped off 8 degrees from the edge of the continent. The explorer explained the difficulties he had encountered in communicating with Rear-Admiral Byrd. Although his radio station was the nearest communication could be arranged only through San Francisco.

They were very anxious to know all about Byrd's attempt to fly over the South Pole, but it was not until three days after he had made the flight that they received the news. The explorer said he felt fit and he appeared to be in excellent physical condition.