SIR HUBERT WILKINS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20991, 2 April 1930, Page 9

SIR HUBERT WILKINS

ARCTIC EXPEDITION PLANS. USE OF A SUBMARINE. (United Preaß Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copy rlgnt.) NEW YORK, March 81. (Received April 1, at 10 p.m.) Mr H. E. Brookes (Commissionergeneral for Australia) gave a dinner to 52 guests in honour of Sir Hubert Wilkins and Lady' Wilkins. The British Consul General (Sir Harry Armstrong)', in laudii-g the explorer, declined that when the latter mute the transarctic flight American newspapers claimed that he was an American. The speaker and the Ambassador (Sir Esme Howard) were much ' pleased, therefore, when the King knighted Sir Hubert a month thereafter. Mr'W. L. Finley, the president of the American Geographical Society, wittily declared that without waiting a month the society had awarded the explorer its golc medal; indeed, it was three days after the flight Sir Hubert, in responding, noted the independence of Australian character, and said he had come to the inevitable conclusion that his work was international in its benefits. He then made various important explanations concerning his 1931 submarine expedition to the Arctic. He said that people thought the trip was fantastic, impossible, and too dangerous, but Stefansson, back in 1913, had declared that an aeroplane would ultimately be limited to .reconnaissance in polar work, but the submarine had the greatest possibility. He now found this borne out, and 13 years of study convinced him that the submarine alone made practical the study of currents and depths in the Arctic, which is possibly the deepest ocean in the world, and pendulum tests to determine whether the north is truly the ' top of the world." Flying over 1000 miles and traversing on foot 5000 miles over Arctic ice packs had shown no ice field in excess of 25 miles in length. Ihus a submarine would always be able to rise and recharge its batteries for the sub-sea laps of 135 miles. There were, furthermore, devices for breaking through ice, etc. The most important factor was the' ability tc land parties on the ice for study at convenient intervals. Sir Hubert, on being interviewed later, said his aim and ambition were even more extensive than hi had announced. He admitted that the Arctic was so well known that there remained little pioneer work, "but we are going to the Arctic principally to study summer ' ice conditions, a very important factor m all polar regions. The study and experience I hope to gain in the north will enable me immediately after the northern summer of 1931 to proceed to the Antarctic with a submarine for an even more extensive investigation.''