The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JUNE 8th, 1925. SEEKING A NEW ROUTE.

Hokitika Guardian, 8 June 1925, Page 2

The Guardian And Evening Star, with which is incorporated the West Coast Times. MONDAY, JUNE Bth, 1925. SEEKING A NEW ROUTE.

Stii.i. no news of the great explorer, Amundsen, who is seeking a new route round the world. The object of the Amuml.sen expedition is not merely to reach the North Pole by air, but also to explore the unknown tract', estimated at 1,000,000 square miles, around the Pole for any area of land on which an aerodrome could be established. With the successful establishment of air bases in the Arc tic regions, Alaska would he within a 3-5 hours’ air journey from I,ondon. and within CO hours of Japan. Captain Amundsen also believes the short route from England to Japan or California, and from litr iiy other parts nf Europe to Asia, is

over the “lop” of the earth. With the development of dirigibles and aeroplanes. the North route, lie says, will he used, and il land there.it will he of the greatest importtime. 11l ease of future wars air liases in the Arctic will undoubtedly he of the great vs value. Officials of the l nited States toast and Geodetic Survey, as a reresult of tidal oh.-ervations, put forward the belief that a continent existed Hi the unexplored region. A great i.ew trade and passenger route may lie laid round the earth. Captain Roald Ammtd-en vas horn at Bor go, Norway, in IS>2. lie was educate 1 for the naval servile t f SwedenNorway, and lieeame a second lieutenant. I n Kill I lie made observations on the Fact Greenland current which were considered \ aliutlde and joined the Htdgica expedition In the Antarctic in 1897-1899. lie was first officer of tile the shin throughout the expedition, a hit'll 'explored the legion west of Graham's Land. In 19ii;i ho sailed in the ship Gina for the purpose of relocatin'.'; the position of the North Magnetic Pole, end making magnetic survey vf the region. Amundsen ma le his head(piatTers on the s,.ulh-east side of King William l and, and was able to provide that! the iNortli Magnetic I’cle hat no immovable and station .ry position, but in all probability is in continual movement. Amundsen next proposed to embark on a live-years’ drift <ni Narsen’s ship, the Kram, across the North Pole area, hut not possessing the lie esssrv eiptipmeitl turned his attention to the A uliirciie. A base '..is established in the Bay ol Whales. 110 miles west of King Edward VII Land u here lie arrived on Jail nary 11. 1911 Supplies for nine men for two years were taken to the tap ol the ice. I lie camp was 8(55) miles I nun the pole, and when they reached the end of the ice harrier and began to ascend the slope of the Antarctic continent, they were still 5i:5.j miles from the pole. Mounting to the plateau, the highest altitude attained being 11.121 feet above sea level, the party, consisting of Amundsen and four comrades, reached the South Pole on December 1(5. 1911. Apart from the discovery of the pole, the large area of new land discovered and scientific contributions t<> several departments of knowledge placed this expedition among the most successful of polar enterprises.