AVOIDING FOGS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17568, 19 June 1925, Page 1

AVOIDING FOGS.

; WHY AMUNDSEN WENT IN MAY. Amundson left his base at King's Bay, Spitzbergen, at 5.15 on Thursday afternoon, May 21. equivalent to 2.15 a.m. New Zealand time. At a speed of 70 miles per hour, ho should have reached the Polo at about- noon on tbo Friday. The two chief factors in a Pole flight are weather conditions and possibility of landing. Amundson chose the latter half of May because fogs aro infrequent and local, bocuso the force of the wind at this season | of tho year was not likely to cause | trouble, and the temperature averages about 23 degrees Fahrenheit. By adding 4.0 per cent of glycerine to the eoiing water lie obtained a mixture which will not freeze above 5 degrees Fahrenheit. As regards tho second factor—tJ i o ‘possibility of .landingAmundsen's machines were designed with the object of landing cm snowcovered ice. Discussing this point, lie said, “ One would naturally choose tho place which ; looked most- suitable, but would probi ably fail to see raised ice, which was j covered by snow in such a way that ‘ tho whole surface seemed level. In selecting the Dornier "Wal flying boats we have machines with bottoms so constructed that they could land on snow, and could. rise into the air without difncath. and a light load, the boat will

not sink much in the snow, and with well-shaped bow, not much snow will be pushed aside. On the other hand, the bottom must not be too large, for this will increase the friction against the snow.” The Dornier YVai flying boats were built of dur-aluminium and were fitted with two Rolls-Royce engines of 360 li.p. placed tandem. If one engine broke down the flight was to be continued in the other if the load had been sufficiently reduced by using up a considerable quantity of petrol. If one machine met with an accident tho other machine would be able to take its crew on board. If the machines lost touch with each other smoke bombs sending up a large thick black column of smoke for lo minutes were to be ignited. If flying became impossible owing to the breakdown of both machines, Amundsen was prepared to return to tho nearest land on foot. The party had a complete polar outfit of clothes, footwear, ski-sledges, boats, sleeping bags, rifles, shot-guns, cooking utensils, etc. They had also 661 b of food per head, consisting of pemmican, chocolate, dried milk, and biscuits, tli© same ration that Amundsen took on the South Foie journey.