MR LINCOLN ELLSWORTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22114, 18 November 1933, Page 7

MR LINCOLN ELLSWORTH

PATRON OF POLAR EXPLORATION A HAZARDOUS UNDERTAKING. “ Mr Lincoln Ellsworth has provided more funds out of his private purse for Polar exploration than any other person in the world,” was the definite statement to a Daily Times reporter yesterday of a man who knows what has been done in this particular exploration and who has the privilege of being numbered among Mr Ellsworth’s friends. He said that the famous visitor to Dunedin had given many thousands of dollars to Amundsen’s North Pole flight in 1925, and had provided two Dornicr Wal aeroplanes. In the year following lie had supplied most of the funds for the Anmndsen-Nobile flight in the Norge across the North Pole from Spitzbergen to Alaska, and in 1928 he had largely subscribed tq the cost of the WilkinsEllsworth transarctic submarine expedi-

tion. Mr Ellsworth did not take an active part in this latter expedition. Mr Ellsworth had been able to devote this nioney for polar exploration, it was. stated, by setting aside last year from his limited income—he did not possess the millions with which he was credited—a certain amount for scientific research. He lived what perhaps might be termed a frugal life, and had no expensive personal tastes. This year saw Mr Ellsworth’s crowning effort, as he was conducting his own expedition. He had set himself a hazardous undertaking. He and his pilot (Mr Bernt Balchen) were to fly in the Northrop-Gamma from Ross Sea across the 1 Antarctic to the Weddell Sea and back again—a distance of just on 3000 miles. If the two adventurers were to have trouble with their machine —which has a flying range of 7000 miles—and it was to fall and become irretrievably damaged in the first 500 miles after leaving Ross Sea they would have a good chance of being able to walk back to the Ross Sea base. Similarly, if the machine fell in the 500 miles nearest the Weddell Sea they would also have a good prospect of walking back to the fringe of the Weddell Sea. If, however, an accident occurred in the middle sector their chances of making their way on foot to safety would be very remote. They will carry three months’ provisions. Mr Ellsworth is very modest, he is also of a somewhat retiring nature, but he is known to his friends as the possessor of a very fine character and a charming personality. He was married ip May of this year, and is really now on his honeymoon.