MIGHTY PEAKS AMIDST THE ANTARCTIC ICE

Chronicle (Levin), 5 February 1947, Page 8

MIGHTY PEAKS AMIDST THE ANTARCTIC ICE

. . ♦ -i * . t Eeceived Tuesday, 11 p.m. . NEW YORK, Feb. 4. Mountain peaks bigher • than any in United States which American airmen, Winging over the 1'rozen South Polar wastes, have discovered, » may be the missing link to the towering Andes chain of South America, says the Asso. ciated Press correspondent at Little America. A new range which a plane crew from the Byrd expedition sighted and photographed between Marie Byrd Land and James W. Ellsworth Land on January 23, includes peaks rising 15,000 feet^above sea level. Mr. James R. Balsley, geophysicist with the United States geological sur-. vey, ..said a question which always had exerciseH the minds of scientists was whether the Andean chain extended across Antarcticia to Australia, The new range, however, might be the last great upthrust of the Andes chain before it died in the smaller mountains of the Edeel Ford range in Marie Byrd Land. ' 'Whatever their relation to the Andes, these peaks are part of a great studded'j helt of different mountain chains encircling the Pacific from Alaska through United States, Central and Sputh America, Antarctica, Australia, the Kuriles and Aleutians," add ed Mr. Balsley. Admiral Byrd expects to remain in Little America througliout Februarv with 190 men, states the Times' New York correspondent. His- force will then be takPn oft' by ioebreakers and join the flagship and two cargo ships which will shortly be sent outside 'the thickening ieepack. Then the whole group will return S.o United States. It is hoped the transport aircraft at Little America will be able to make about 25 exploratory and photographic flights be for the evacuation.