ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20536, 11 October 1928, Page 11

ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION.

COMMANDER BYRD’S PARTY. ONE HUNDRED STRONG. THREE SHIPS AND FOUR PLANES. (From Otjb Own Correspondent.) LONDON, August 24. A New York correspondent states that Commander Byrd, United States Navy, hopes to leave New York on August 22 for New Zealand, preparatory to exploring the Antarctic lands. To date £40,000 has been subscribed for the expedition, and another £40,000 is still needed. This amount will be supplied by American industries who expect to benefit by a scientific trip to the Antarctic. The same sources nave already given £IOO,OOO worth of provisions. Three ships have been bought, including an ice-breaker. Commander Byrd will be aided by Commander Jeffreys, Royal Navy, whose experience will be valuable in the Antarctic. Four aeroplanes will be taken, including a tri-motored Ford-Floyd-Bennet, a Fokker super-universal now on a 10,000-mile test tour, a Pratt and Whitney powered Fairchild, and a tiny Moth biplane for air courier and quick survey work. VILLAGE AT BAY OF WHALES. The exploration party, nearly 100 strong, will be away 18 months. Material for building a small village at the Bay of Whales base has been shipped. Supplies include 15,000 gallons of gasoline, 500,000 cigarettes, a ton of tobacco, d«vices for making artificial sunshine, and immense quantities of canned goods. The cooking utensils alone have a gross weight of one ton. The aeroplane, and even the dog-seldge parties will carry radio apparatus, and by means of powerftol transmitters at the base, Commander Byrd hopes throughout bis explorations to keep in daily touch with civilisation.