CONSTANT VIGIL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 278, 26 November 1935, Page 7

CONSTANT VIGIL

FOR POLAR STAR SIGNALS NEW ZEALAND WATCH [Per Press Association. ] WELLINGTON, Nov. 25. Since 10 p.m. on Sunday a constant vigil has been kept by the Government wireless stations at Wellington and Awarua for a message from the Polar Star. It is believed that these stations have a better chance than other land stations in New Zealand or elsewhere of hearing any signals Ellsworth and his companions in the aeroplane may send, provided the ’plane is on the New Zealand side of the Pole. If it has not reached the Ross Sea side South American stations may be in a more favourable position. The organisers of the expedition in New York are hopeful that any emergency message will be picked up in New Zealand. In anticipation of this a continuous watch by Wellington and Awarua over a broad band about the Polar Star’s frequencies has been arranged. REPORT OF MOUNTAINS OTHER EXPLORERS’ REMARKS NEW YORK, Nov. 23. Rear-Admiral Byrd and Commander Stefansson are among the many explorers familiar with the Antarctic to praise Mr. Ellsworth’s ten-hour flight as definitely adding to the map in that region. In St. Paul, Rrear-Admiral Byrd, when tc-ld of the discovery of the mountain chain, declared: “I’m delighted to hear that. It will undoubtedly fill in. another blank space in the map of the Antarctic. The importance of this discovery will be appreciated by all w>ho are interested iu the Antarctic region." He added that to previous explorers,. including himself, the mountains were unknown. Mr. Stefansson declared: “It is a fine contribution to geography and seems to me to have made a substantial addition to the wortk previously done in the same section by Sir H. Wilkins. Particularly interesting is the presumption tfrat the range of mountains observed may be a continua- ' tion of the Andes.” Mr. Rawson, Rear-Admiral Byrd’s navigator, Mr. Trubee Davison, president of the American Museum of Natural History, and Mr. R-. C. Andrews are among others who praise the