VOYAGE OF POLAR DISCOVERY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19682, 27 December 1933, Page 7

VOYAGE OF POLAR DISCOVERY

PLANS OF AMERICAN EXPEDITION EXPLORING BY USE OF AIRCRAFT Special to Press Association—Prom the Byrd Expedition JACOB RUFPERT, Dec. 25. Snow, followed by fog, making a further attempt to move eastward to the 142 meridian unsafe, caused a temporary halting. At noon the position, dead reckoning, was 66.20 south, 144 west. When the vessel was halted at 2.30 this afternoon, a dozen enormous icebergs loomed up through the mist, and at 10 o'clock to-night we are still hove to. The sea is calm. Snow had commenced at 1). o'clock last night. The wind stiffened in the north-east, and the barometer began to fall. The Jacob Ruppert steered out at slow speed through ghoulish iceflows, and by 1 o'clock this morning was well north of the ice pack. She continued to steam eastward until halted by fog. The necessity for completing operations in this sector as sooh as possible in order to carry out an extensive unloading programme at Little America, has therefore induced Admiral Byrd to attempt to enter the pack at 134 meridian as soon as weather permits. The Admiral will attempt a record Southing at 143 meridian. Having already broken Captain Cook's record on 150 meridian, he is eager to surpass it further eastward, and this time if possible to make a sufficiently deep penetration to open up the mystery of the Pacific. The quadrant plan is to drive the ship south as far as the engines and hull can overcome the resistance of the pack. If she is blocked and if open water and favourable weather are found, Admiral Byrd plans to renew the attack by air. The seaplane has been thoroughly cheeked, and is ready for flight. She will carry enough food to sustain five men for a month In the event of a forced landing.