AMONG THE ICEBERGS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 302, 22 December 1933, Page 7

AMONG THE ICEBERGS

BYRD’S SHIP GOES WARILY. Received Dec. 21, 5.20 p.m. (Special to the Press Association from the Byrd Expedition). Noon, Dec. 21. The Jacob Ruppert is barely a day’s steaming from the edge of the unknown waters encircling the Pacific quadrant of the Antarctic; Her course is still south-east and apparently she is getting into the greatest iceberg producing area in the world. Since one was first sighted this morning, over 800 have come within vision, and a “fleet” of a score or more, exactly like ships under way, are strung across the vessel’s path. The nearest is less than three miles distant. It has sheer side, and is close to 250 ft. above tho water. The sea is strewn with gently-rocking ice debris, through which the Ruppert is warily feeling her way. Rear-Admiral Byrd and other Antarctic veterans say they have never seen such quantities of icebergs. RearAdmiral Byrd remarked: “Only an undulating and extensive barrier coast could produce bergs of such large numbers. Somewhere hereabouts is a barrier which may be considerably larger than the great Ross Ice Barrier.” Rear-Admiral Byrd’s present objective is a point in the South Pacific where the 150 meridian cuts the Antarctic Circle. From there he nopes to work the vessel past the record tracks of Captain Cook in 1773, and then ex plore 2000 miles 6f undiscovered coast line to tho right and left of the position. If the icepack or storms prevent navigation, an aeroplano flight over the area might bo attempted.