Reasons for Explorations of Sir Hubert Wilkins.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18544, 18 August 1928, Page 19 (Supplement)

Reasons for Explorations of Sir Hubert Wilkins.

Erection Sought of Meteorological Stations in Arctic and Antarctic for Weather Forecasting.

SHORTLY Sir Hubert Wilkins will visit New Zealand on his way south to the Antarctic, over which he will fly, seeking data .to aid his scheme for the establishment of

the meteorological stations there. On bis way home after his recent North Polar flight Sir Hubert outlined the reason for his expedition. Seldom has an aeronautical undertaking been started from nobler reasons than Sir Hubert Wilkins’ and Lieut.

Carl B. Eielson’s flight from Point Barrow, Alaska, to

Spitzbergen across unexplored territory, skirting the north pole. As a small bov in Australia. Sir Hubert told his audience, he experienced many a terrible drought and often wondered whether there was no method of protecting the dumb animals which suffered bv thousands. Later, he heard from meteorologists that it was posable to make weather forecasts, but

he also learned that such forecasts would remain piecework until atmospheric conditions in the polar regions could be observed. With the objefct of making such observations possible he planned arctic research and commenced his work for the animals and the pioneers not only of his country but of. the entire world'

The ultimate goal was the establishment of a ring of meteorological stations around the north pole. Such stations could be erected, for instance in Spitzbergen, Novaya Zemlya, Wrangel Island, and Prince Patrick Island, but there still remained a vast unexplored stretch of territory between Novaya Zemlya and Prince Patrick Island, north of Alsjfxa, known as the “ blind spot,” of which it was not known whether it consisted of land or water. E. Peary, Vilhjalmur Stefannsson and MacMillan believed they had found indications of the presence of land. The question was of vital im portance because upon it depended the possibility of completing the ring of meteorological stations around the North Poie as one station should be erected in that territory. So Sir Hubert and Lieutenant Eielson made it their first task to explore this area. It was proved that aeroplanes could be successfully used for work in the

arctic. The many thousands of miles flown by’ Lieutenant Commander Richard E. Byrd, Roald Amundsen, Sir Hubert Wilkins and Lieutenant Eieison have shown that the aeroplane is well adapted for this kind of work and Sir Hubert believes that both the aeroplane and the airship will be used in future for the further exploration of the Polar regions. In fact, it was discovered that outside the Arctic circles much worse atmospheric conditions existed than inside.

On their just completed non-stop flight of 2200 miles Sir Hubert Wilkins and Lieutenant Eielson passed through perfectly calm weather until they reached Spitzbergen. Although magnetic currents badly affected the compass, navigation was much easier than had been anticipated. Moreover, it would have been possible to find a suitable landing place almost any time within a radius of about twenty miles, for although the ice was broken it still formed sufficiently large surfaces to enable a landing, especially of 2 light aeroplane. This, at least, applies to the Alaskan side. North of Greenland, and still more so in the vicinity of Spitzbergen, the ice was considerably more broken up. Sir Hubert Wilkins made one strict condition, on the fulfilment of which

he laid the utmost stress. This was that every member of the crew should be acquainted with Arctic conditions. An experience which befel the. two pilots last year showed what hardships t° b e encountered .as a result of forced landings. After "having cove-red several hundred miles by aeroplane in one day, they* had to land eighty’’ miles from the coast owing to lack of petrol. It, took them eighteen days to cover this comparatively short distance on foot, sleeping in snow hut.s“and dragging their food supply on small sledges made of parts of their aeroplane. Sir Hubert Wilkins saw ho islands ill the Polar ocean he crossed during his entire flight and thus the erection of a meteorological station in that territory* seems not possible. In order to obtain the best weather forecasts possible Sir Huliert Wilkins believes it to lie necessary* to study atmospheric conditions at "both Poles simultaneousely. This would mean the establishment of a similar ring of stations around the South Pole.