POLAR EXPLORATION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19039, 8 December 1923, Page 9

POLAR EXPLORATION

THE MAUD’S DEIST. AEROPLANE FLIGHTS UNSUCCESSFUL. Prose Association — By Telegraph—Oopytxghv CHRISTIANIA, December 6. A wireless from Captain Wissing, the Maud’s commander, received at Spitsbergen, covers the drift from March, to October. First the vessel drifted north-west until 75deg 25min N., 165 deg. 8., was reached at the end of June. Then -she proceeded northward during the summer until September 9, when the Maud reached 76deg 16min N. and 163 deg 30min E.— her farthest point north. 'Thereafter she was driven southward by a prolonged north-west gale to 75deg lOmin and 159 deg 30min at the end of October, at which date the latest report was received. The scientist Sverdrup is of opinion that the direction of the currents proves that there is no ground for assuming that there is a large land area north-east of De Long Islands. The dogs are in excellent conditi<Sn. Hunting provided for everybody, and there was an abundance of fresh meat. The preliminary aeroplane flights were unsuccessful. The compasses were untrustworthy, and the ice was so level and featureless that orientation was most difficult, and it ,was dangerous to pro&ed tar from the Maud. % In a later attempt the machine rose, and was badly damaged, but was repaired. In a final attempt engine trouble _ forced a landing, irreparable damage being done. Aerial exploration was then abandoned. , Captain Amundsen, .interviewed locally, said he considered the drift satisfactory. The present southward movement tallied with the Fram's experience. He believes that the Maud henceforth will redrift northward. H© has not abandoned his design to fly to the Pole in the summer.— Sydney Sun Cable. 1 Tile Maud was the vessel which Captain Amundsen used in connection with ms recent attempt to fly across the North Pole from Alaska to Spitsbergen. The attempt failed, and the Maud thereupon undertook to drift in the ice with a view to ascertaining the direction of the arctic currents. The latest reports stated that Captain Amundsen intended to make another attempt to fly across the Pole, but the experiences of the' aviators on board the Maud have evidently deterred him from doing so.