AMUNDSEN SAFE.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18413, 20 June 1925, Page 15

AMUNDSEN SAFE.

• * : .;rW* keturns part way ON FOOT. cLANDED 100 MILES FROM POLE.

OFLANES QUICKLY FROZEN

TIGHT.

(B* CABLE—PHEBB AfISOCIATION—COPtKIOBT.) (EEUTEa'a TBLEORAJJ6.)

VANCOUVER, Juno 18. Captain Amundsen has'returned to Spitsbergen. He failed to reach the Pole, but it was a most successful expedition.

He flew north for what he believed ' to b? tho propor distance, and descended into water among hummocks of ice. The ''planes were quickly frozen tight

Ho estimates that ho was 100 miles from tho Pole. The- expedition returned afoot and saw no land. (AtrstftAiiAx Asn jt.z. cable association.) LONDON, June 18. News of Amundsen'e safety came by radiogram from tho Heimdal, dated Spitsbergen, Jurie 18th, stating:— Wo arrived at King's Bay, all right, At 1 o'clock this morning. (Signed) Apiuhdßen, Diefcrichson, Ellsworth, Foucht, Omdal, Rnsor-Larsei). Tho massage, stated that he ran into a fog and when he was able to take observations he found that he had flown 625 miles, but had travelled overfar westwatd.

Ho descended at 1 o'clock on tho morning of May 22nd, and spent several days reconnoitring. "I believe," ho says in his message, "there is no land further north this iido of the Norwegian Arctic Ocean."

STORY OF FLIGHT.

DRIVEN WEST BY WIND.

SAW NO SIGN OF LAND. . 'UvBTRkUXX AKD H.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATES.) (Received June 19th 7.15 p.m.) ' s LONDON, Juno 18. A message from Captain Amundsen, aboard the Hcinidal at Spitzbergen, Bays :

, Ths 'planes left King's Bay on May 21st with a load approximating threetons. On the way to Amsterdam Island tosts' were- curried out ,oh both planes which concluded satisfactorily, hence, according to plan 9, the flight proceeded. We encountered fog at Sydgat, so rose to 3100 feet in order to navigate "by tho aid of our solar compasses. Tor the neit two hours we flew constirj&ljsly over log, which we <!fd not ' leave behind until eight in tho evening. For tho remainder of the journey visibility was excellent. Observatons J at ten o'clock showed that we were too \'he west, probably duo to north-east ' * winds above the fog, but wo could not possibly observe the deviation. ' Our course was then laid further east until one o'clock on the morning of May 22nd, when half of our petrol was * -consumed. Wo therefore decided to <• attempt to descend in order to secure ' definite bearings, with a, view to con. 1 tinu}iag the flight. Wo were then above a large lane in > tho ice which was the first of this eieo '• to bo encountered. We flew lower, observing tho surrounding ice and'the > danger of a sudden block in the ice lane. Not once during the trip had we seep a suitable place to land. Neither was there ona here, 6o we descended on tho water in the ico lane.

J 'Pianos Gripped by Ice. Our fears regarding the descent tfexe not groundless, as N25, immediately after landing, became lodted between a mass of ice. While trying to get the 'plane clear of the ice lane, we found that it had frozen tight and , thSt tho ice had gripped the other 'plane, N24. * Observations during the night dis- •■ closed our position as latitude 87 de- -. - grees 44 minutes north, longitude 10 4 degrees 20 minutes west. The distance, '■' therefore, covered in an eight hours' \ flight was exactly 1000 kilometres (625 ' ! miles) at an average speed of 150 kilo* But for the head wind ,we \ WM>l4 havo got 200 kilometres further. .• We took two soundings whioh indi,o cftted a depth of 3750 metres, and in •* the following days we studied drift y conditions and observed the magnetic • variation and meteorological situation. Whilst we were flying northwards wo obwrved an area of about 100,000 , 81tiari8 kilometres, reaching to about 1 88 degrees 30 minutes north, without - toy indication of land. In view als6 , of the depth disclosed by our soundings, we think it most improbable that ■ had will be found further north this ■ of the' Norwegian Arctic Ocean.

One Machine Freed.

Wa came to the conclusion that there

ytfn no grounds for assuming condi- „ tio&B would be such as "would permit a lauding furthor north, and that to land ,1 *l the pole with the opportunity to ( ? **H» observations or soundings would y, to Impossible. We considered that only J ,7 *« fly over tho Pole without taking ] ncflurato observations of -what was pos-. " Mb)y merely ice, had no real signifi- > eanee, and was not worth* taking great ''*•; **s* ?or. We agreed, therefore, instead ■j' I '**. Continuing further north, to lay a \i course further east, in order to J trtßs hitherto undiscovered tracts. ij>,>'\With the planes ice-blocked and tho y ;%e% 0 f ra i3i n g thorn into the air, ItViT 0 tnat ion was acute. With a view them list as long as jos-

Sible the daily rations were drasticaljv curtailed.'

We concentrated all our energies in getting piano N. 23 clear. During the fallowing 24 days wo experienced all kinds of difficulties owing to the vagaries of the fickle Arctic Ocean. Eventually thp machine was freed, after the greatest exertion. It showed signs of strnin, but was lugged practically undamaged from the pack ice io the starting place which wc had levelled some distance awav.

On June 14th cracks opened in tho ice which threatened to remove a third Of our work. On the morning of June 35th, Without attempting to lengthen the levelled spot, trials were made with a greatly reduced load, nearly the whole of our equipment being discarded. We kej'i only a few stores and the minimum quantify of petrol to enable us to proceed southwards.

We succeeded in getting away, and a course was set for the spot indicated. At 10.10 a.m., niter an exciting flight, partly through fog, we reached North Cape (North Eastland), the flight occupying eight hours 35 minutes.

Sheltering From the Gale. We then landed and awaited favourable winds for a continuation of th? flight with tho remaining 120 litres jf petrol to a spot within raugo of the Hobby's patrol area.

Wc estimate the area observed on tho rotum trip as 60,000 Bquaro kilometres. The expedition has observed a total of 100,000 kilometres of hitherto unexplored area. Immediately after wo landed th'', Norwegian s?aler Sjoeliv, from Barras Fjord, passed westward. W,e at once went on board and were gladly received, and our 'plane was taken in tow.

Towards night tho wind freshened to a galo, so we were compelled to make for shelter under tho land on the west side of Lady Franklin Bay, remaining there during the night. Thers was no improvement on Juno 16th, so the piano was secured on the land at Ico Bny, and the members of the expedition left with tho Sjoeliv. During tho navigation of the 'planes the Goorz solar compasses wore of essential importance, operating entirely satisfactorily. No other 'plane except the Dernier typo could have withstood tho strain.

Tho Bolls-Hoyco engines in the first few hours secured our confidence. Not once on tho latter flight, during which there was not a possibility of landing, did we feel any anxiety. During our stay in tho north the engines always started instantaneously/ and they saved the 'plane when we were compelled to move 'it away from the threatening pack ice. '

RETURN TO KING'S BAY.

ELLSWORTH SAVES TWO FROM . DROWNING. (AUSTRALIAN AKD N.Z. CABLE ASSOOIATIOX.) June 19th, 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, Juno 19. A message from the Heimdal at Spitzbergen Btates: —

There was a dramatic scone when Captain Amundsen returned to King's Boy. Crowds 'gathered on the qtfay about 10 p.m. to witness the Heimdal arrive. When, through the misty haze, the Norwegian ee&ler slowly. entered the harbour under the faint gleam of the midnight, sun, many men were seen on deck. Suddenly eoffioono on board tho Hobby 6houted, "It's Amundsen." Deafening cheers greeted the explorer, and then we burst into, the National Anthem. Slowly from tho tired and worn-out explorers we were able to obtain their story, but even before they began we could se© how they had suffered. Amundsen states that the occupants of tho two 'planes were separated for a long period, during which Ellsworth savied Diotrichson and Omdal from drowning. Whilst Amundsen and Ruaer-Larscn were on the other side of the ice lane they heard cries for help. They were unable.to assist owing to the drift ice making it impossible for them to effect a crossing in tho canvas boat.

GENERAL' REJOICING.

(AtfSTBALUS AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Keceivcd June 19th, 8.15 p.m.) LONDON, June 19,

The news of Amundsen's safety wa# woloomed most heartily in London. The fact overshadows even the Security Pact in most of the newspapers. OSLO, June 19.

Amundsen's return was not announced until 10 p.m., when crowds paraded the streets cheering and singing.

WILL TRY AGAIN.

(AUBTttAUAN AND N.2. CABLE ASSOCIATION.)

(Received Juno 19th, 11.45 p.m.) OSLO, June 10.

The Government has telegraphed to Amundsen: "Congratulating you and voitr brave companions on your wonderful journey. Welcome home."

Amundsen states that he is determined to renew his attempt to reach the North Pole.

'PLANES AND MEN.

BRITISH ENGINES USED. The flight was made in two Dornier Wal flying boats with bottoms so constructed that "they could land on snow, and a special appii ance to keep tho oil and wator from freezing. Tho craft wore built of duralumin, a patented aluminium alloy, and wero fitted with two Eolls-Boyce engines of 360 h.p. ** if one machine met ivith an accident ♦>,« Ather would be able to take its crew on board. If the machines lost Wb. with each other smoke bonibs Ending up a large thick black column 0 f Tnjfke for 15 minutes wore to bo ignited. If bccamo im P oßßlblc

(Continued at foot of next column.).

owing to the breakdown of both machines, Amundsen was prepared to return to the nearest land on foot, as he had to do.. The party had a complete polar outfit of clothes, footwear, ski-sledges, boats, sleeping bags, rifles, shot-guns, cooking utensils, etc. They had also 661b of food per head, consisting of pemmican, chocolate, dried milk, and biscuits, the same ration that Amundsen took on his South Pole journey. The personnel of tho two 'planes was as follows:

PLYING BOAT N25: Captain Amundsen, navigator. Lieutenant Mjulnnn liiiser-Larsen, pilot. . Carl Foucht, mechanic.

PLYING BOAT X 24

Mr Lincoln Ellsworth, navigator. Lieutenant Leif Dietrichson, pilot. Flight-Lieutenant Oskar Omdal, mechanic; . Mr Ellsworth is an American who financed half the cost of the expedition. His father died recently in ltome, his tleath being hastened, so it was said, by anxiety for the safety of his son.