ARCTIC TRIPS.

Waikato Times, Volume 105, Issue 17787, 12 August 1929, Page 9

ARCTIC TRIPS.

IN GRAF ZEPPELIN. DR. NANSEN’S PROPOSALS. WOULD TAKE 15 SCIENTISTS. (From a Correspondent). WASHINGTON, June 22. Three cruises over the Arctic by the Graf Zeppelin under charter to the International Society for the Exploration of the Arctic by airship earlynext spring are planned by Dr. Frltjof Nansen, president of the association, it was revealed here to-day. The plans for the dirigible's venture into the Arctic’s frozen wastes with a list of noted scientists from ! the principal nations became known j here following Dr. Nansen’s announcei ment at Copenhagen’s last week that Fairbanks, instead of Nome, as originally planned, would be the dirigible’s base for its Arctic explorations. According to ipresent plans, the Graf Zeppelin will remain at its Fairbanks base for about three weeks next April, while preparations for a flight over the North Pole and the Arctic Ocean’s “dead spot” are being completed. First Flight About April 1. The first of the dirigible’s three flights is expected to be made from a j Northern Norway base about April 1. Its course will carry the big' ship on a wide swing over the North AtI lantic, across Greenland, and along the Canadian shore of the Arctic Ocean to Fairbanks. There the big ship will be moored to a 60-foot mast, which is to be erected by the community of Fairbanks, under arrangements which : have been made with Dr Nansen. The concrete base and the 60-foot mast will be provided by the community, while the Zeppelin works at Friedrichshafen, Germany, will ship to Fairbanks during the winter the I large metal cast swivel which tops the mast, and to which the Graf Zeppelin will be moored. Dr Nansen some time ago formally sounded out the Navy Department here to learn whether ils co-operation could be obtained in furnishing the | mooring mast. It was found, however, that the department had no such I mast available for shipment to Fairbanks. As a result, leading citizens of the Central Alaskan community agreed to finance the construction of the mast. Preparation of the dirigible landing field, on the shore of the Tanana River opposite Fairbanks, is expected to be simple. Two flying fields from which important Alaskan air services operate are to be combined, so that an adequate area for the handling- of the big German airship will be available. Fuel and other stores for the provisioning of the Fairbanks base are expected to be shipped to the town before the closing of navigation next . Fall. ] German mechanics who will have I charge of the servicing of the airship j during its stay and in preparation for its return flight to Friedrichshafen ; after the cruise over the North Pole are expected to go to Fairbanks late ; this Fall and spend the winter there ■ in preparation for the arrival of the. Graf Zeppelin early in April. i According to the plans, several days will be spent at Fairbanks after the Graf Zeppelin's .arrival from Nor- j way in preparing the ship for the hazardous flight over the Pole. The flight to the Pole will be made on a ; direct course from Fairbanks, cross- j ing out over the Arctic Ocean at a point in extreme Northwest Canada. : The return flight is expected to fol- : low a long swing south along a course north of the Canadian shore. ; The return flight to Friedrichshafen j will complete the circumnavigation of ! the earth at high latitudes by fol- > lowing the Siberian shore and that of : Northern Europe to Norway and ; then south along the Scandinavian j coast to the ship’s home station. j Scientists Would Be Aboard. Fifteen internationally known scicn- ; tists, headed by Da. Nansen, will ac- i company the Graf Zeppelin, according j to the plans. The two who will represent the United States have not , been selected. The scientists would make studies of meteorological con- ; ditions, the effect of the Arctic’s at- | mospheric conditions upon radio, ter- | restrial magnetism and electricity and j other scientific researches during' their five weeks’ lour, and especially ■ on the flight to and from the North Pole from Fairbanks. 1

Of especial interest will be the condilions they find around the north magnetic pole in Northern Canada, where they will study the sluggish swirl of magnetic currents about the Pole and also conditions surrounding the secondary magnetic pole in Northern Siberia. It is understood here that Dr. Nansen’s selection of Fairbanks as the Arctic base for the Graf Zeppelin was prompted by a study of meteorological conditions in the vicinity of the two Alaskan cities. Fairbanks, it was found, is not only free from the mountainous ranges' which hem in Nome on the north-cast, but is also free of the fogs of tne coast and has an equable climate. These considerations, urged upon Dr. Nansen during his visit here three months ago by representatives of the City of Fairbanks, are believed to have resulted in its selection as the base. It is also expected to prove more feasible to transport to Fairbanks by the Alaskan Railroad the fuel and other supplies which will be required for the base than it would be to ship them to Nome.