GRAN’S COMMENTS OPPOSED BY GEOLOGIST

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 44, 5 December 1929, Page 5

GRAN’S COMMENTS OPPOSED BY GEOLOGIST

CRmCSSM OF BYRD’S EFFDR VALUABLE AIR SURVEYS MADE Press Association —Copyright. WELLINGTON, This Day. 3lr. H. P. Ferrar, geologist in Sqatn/a first Antarctic expedition, 1901 to 1904, when asked t© comment on Gran’s statement cabled from Copenhagen, said with reference to the criticism of Commander Byrd’s flight over the South Pole that Gran is rather severe. Commander Byrd’s story shows that he and his pilots are to be heartfty congratulated on their successful twenty-four hours’ flight to the South Pole and back. The, air surveys and air reconnaissances that are being mad© will facilitate the work of Gouldj and liils geographical party. Now that Byrd has achieved one o the objects of his expedition h© will r.o doubt carry Mg explorations eastwards and discover territory to I which legitimate claim may b© laid. Goran’s Remarks about mountain ! ranges near the Pole are hard to folj low. For instance h© talks of some of these ranges being south of the (South Pole, which of course is absurd. It i s diflieult to understand what he means by saying “the land on the whole is a plain. It is well known that the polar plateau is nine thousand feet above the great ice barrier. More over it is bnttiassed by mountains twelve thousand to fifteen thousand feet high, between which Byrd had to pass on his flight”.