SAFE ON SHIP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22321, 20 January 1936, Page 12

SAFE ON SHIP

FLIEES RESCUED DRAMA OF ANTARCTIC GOAL NEARLY REACHED 25 MILES ON FOOT By Telegraph—Pies# Association—Copyright (Uewived January 19, 5.5 p.m.) NEW YORK, Jan. IS The sensational rescue of Mr. Lincoln Ellsworth and Mr. Hollick Kenyon by the ship Discovery IT., on board of which both men have embarked, is being widely displayed in the press. Many prominent explorers express their pleasure and relief at the rescue.

In a copyright message to the North American Newspaper Alliance, Mr. Ellsworth says: "At last the transantarctic flight has been accomplished, but not without some difficulty. We were forced to land four times on the way and once were held up for seven days, on three days of which a blizzard raged.

" On the previous landings we were delayed two days by bad visibility and snow storms. Finally our fuel became exhausted and we were forced to land about 25 miles from Little America. After four days of futile ettorts to communicate with the outside world we proceeded by sledgo to Little America where we found the radio shack in firstclass condition and in which we lived comfortably until yesterday, when thn Discovery's aeroplane appeared, and pilot let us know that our lonely wait was over. Description of the Flight " Shortly after 4.15 p.m. (Greenwich mean time) on the day we started (.November 23 >, we realised that the radio had failed, but there was nothing we could do but continue the flight. After passing the mountains of Hearst Land we flew at an altitude of 10,000 ft. over a high plateau with isolated mountains at intervals. Then these gave way to an unbroken plateau. "At 5.45 p.m. I dropped the Stars and Strips on hitherto unclaimed territory. " For three hours we flew over mountains and at 9.5 p.m. we ran into bad visibility and reduced our altitude to 6400 ft. Finally we were forced to land at latitude 79.12, longitude 104.10. " Later the weather cleared and late on the afternoon of November 2? wo warmed up the engine and took off, but after half an hour in the air wo were forced to land owing to poor visibility. Comforts of Civilisation Again "Several other attempts to proceed to Little America also failed, until December 5, when we took off again and flew toward our objective. Wo were almost in sight of the Bay of Whales when oiir fuel, which had served us so well, finally gave out.

" We fixed our position at latitude 78.4-5, longitude 103.30. After four days of work on the radio apparatus we packed our hand-sledge and tramped the few miles to Little America. " Since then wo have been busy corelating the data gathered on the flight. We have been most hospitably treated by Commander Hill and officers of the Uoyal Research Society's ship Discovery, and now we are enjoying the comforts of civilisation once again." Praise lor the Discovery 11.

Tho New York Herald Tribune commends the perseverance of Mr. Ellsworth for his successful flight after his previous failures.

Also the paper praises the work of the Discovery, saying: "Nob tho least gratifying feature of this particular expedition has been the cordial international partnership and co-operation which have marked it throughout and which now find their apotheosis in tho successful mission of the Discovery 11. It is a pleasure to share our pride and thanksgiving with our cousins." In Washington to-day, the Secretary of State, Mr. Cordell Hull, expressed the Government's gratification at tho Discovery's rescue of Messrs. Ellsworth and Kenyon, and praised the British Government and Australia for " their fine co-operation " in locating the missing explorers. NEWS IN LONDON SENSATION CREATED WORK OF RESCUE VESSEL British Wireless RUGBY, Jan. 17 Messages received in London from the Discovery 11. recorded the meeting of a party from tho Discovery 11. with Mr. Hollick Kenyon, who returned to tho ship, having reported that his companion was alive but suffering from a slight cold. Another ship's party returned last night with Mr. Ellsworth. The finding of the lost airmen, for whoso safety hopes had been gradually failing, caused a sensation. Tho newspai>ers comment on the coincidence that tho rescue has been carried out by the same British research ship which, almost exactly two years ago, similarly interrupted a scientific expedition in an emergency and took a doctor to Admiral Byrd, who was ill in the Antarctic. WIVES RELIEVED SUSPENSE AN ORDEAL LONDON. Jan. 17 London newspapers by radio telephono communicated tho news of the finding of her husband and Mr. Kenyon to Mrs. Ellsworth, who told the Daily Mail: "I am waiting, waiting and waiting. The suspense is pretty bad. I guess it is the first time I have felt cheerful for a long time. I am most grateful for everything the Australians have done." Mrs. Kenyon said: "With my family I have been standing at the telephone in relays ever since the Discovery sighted my husband. I felt that he would be safe. He is such a grand fellow —so strong. With his tremendous strength and skill I knew he would be all right. I suppose it was foolish worrying about him after all the things he has done and the dangers ho has been through, but I was not different from other wives in doing so."