HOW THE MOTOR CAR WORKED.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 466, 26 March 1909, Page 6

HOW THE MOTOR CAR WORKED.

USELESS ON ICE BARRIER.

GOOD WORK ON SUITABLE SURFACES.

(Special to The Dominion.^

Chrlstchurch, March 25.

The motor expert who went to Antarctica with the expedition, Mr. B. C. Day, gavo some interesting details of his experiences with the car. It will be recalled _ that the use of the automobile as an adjunct to Antarctic exploration was ono of the features of the British Antarctic expedition. The car did about 450 miles, remarked Mr. Day, in depot-laying between Cape Royds and Glacier Tongue. Continuing, Mr. Day said that the class of country travelled over was sea ice, with patches of snow which varied from about six inches in depth. He bad a bit of trouble with the lubrication of the machinery, finding that the oil froze at minus 30 degrees; that was the lowest temperature at which he had driven the niot-or.

It \\*as absolutely useless 'to expect the onr to run oil the surface of the barrier, as tho surface was so soft. It was composed of compressed snow, in layers about ono foot in depth, into which tho wheels of tho car sank to tho axles. As to tho motor, lie stated that tho heaviest was contained ill two sledges, and weighed about 18001b., in addition to three people. ' Half tho weight was on ono slcdgo, and tho other half on the second one. The rate of progress was about six miles per hour, but if tho surface was good, tho car sometimes did nine or ten miles an hour. AVithout a load tho car could do thirty miles an hour over sea ice. The surface of tho sea ico was practically a smooth sheet of ice, tho only break in tho smoothness being caused .by snow flowers, heaps of snow about the size of a man's hand, which made tho surfaco a little heavier.

Mr. Day stated definitely that motor-cars were absolutely useless on the Great Ice Barrier. No car could meet tho varied character of the/country to bo travelled, and no car could bo built light enough to go over tho deposits of snow. Ho was of opinion that motor sledges similar to thoso that are to bo used by tho French Antarctic expedition, under Dr. Charcot, would bo very useful in Antarctic exploration.

Tho car taken on tho Nimrod had been brought back, and was at that moment on tho boat-skids. It was not damaged in any way, and there had been no breakages. He explained that when ho wanted to Ftart tho car when working on tho ico he had had to warm tho cngma with a blow-lamp. For work on the ice, i.o had lightened the car by taking tho body off and any gear not necessary for driving purposes.