ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1929, Page 2

ANTARCTIC EXPLORATION

r? (Otago Daily Times.) g/ijThe announcement of; the personnel jgjjj&the Mawson Expedition reminds the | public that the onslaught, on the unsolved problems of . Antarctica which Began in earnest towards the end of | ‘last year will be considerably intensified during the coming summer. Comjfiiander Byrd’s expedition is at prejl confined to the base at the Bay |of|JVhales, whence news is transmitted |jeegularly by wireless. Subsidiary bases Eitaye been laid, and some reconnoitring | Iby. aeroplane and mapping with the aid aerial cameras has been accomplish- ' i.ed; i The long winter vigil of the parlfcr at ■ the base will doubtless be rewarded by a collection of valuable scientific data, • and tbe expedition will be advantageously situated for an early commencement of exploration when the weather becomes suspicious. Then the achieveyjnents of the relatively inexperienced ! scientific personnel are likely to be /eclipsed by the more striking disco veri/ties of the airmen, but at present the ) former are daily recording many obT- servations. Commander Byrd and Sir i/Hubert Wilkins have demonstrated in ! a limited way the usefulness of the /aeroplane in exploratory work on a •/large scale, and both have experienced /considerable difficulties through the of uncertain and unfavourable weather in the Antarctic and /through the paucity of smooth snow \ fields for landing, so that the success • of this novel method of exploration in , that region cannot be taken as proved conclusively. , These experienced airmen had each jCto wait weeks on occasion before atsjfempting a considerable flight, and /several serious accidents were narrowly averted. Sir Hubert Wilkins, with Eielson, made two memor,.able flights in the south. He was x s|le, in consequence, to answer cerium long-disputed questions. He has definitely shown the Graham’s Land is si/

really separated from the polar continent by an ice-tilled channel, and a hazardous flight of 1200 miles from Deception Island over this hitherto unknown territory resulted in the discovery of several previously uncharted islands and the preliminary mapping of an extensive mountainous region with its deeply, indented coastline. Sir Hubert’s, self-appointed task is by no means completed, for it is his ambition to establish a chain of meteorological stations on or close to the Antarctic continent. From these it will be possible to transmit weather reports which many competent scientists believe will provide invaluable information to countries like Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. This belief is based on the well-founded ; supposition that conditions over the . polar plateau have a close relation to the succession of cyclones which exert such an important influence on the weather of these countries. * It has been stated that although Sir Hubert Wilkins has relied in the i past for equipment and financial as- ' distance on America, the continuance ' of his .commendable efforts is entirely dependent on support from the British ' Empire. The interest of New Zealand--1 ers is at present, however, being dir- * ected to the expedition under the ■ leadership of Sir Douglas Mawson, * which is now being organised. A ‘ partial compensation for the disap- : pointment caused by the authoritative 1 announcement that the last port of * call will be Capetown is provided in 1 the fact, that two New Zealanders are included in the scientific staff. The arrangemens are so well adj vaneed as to justify'the expectation r of a departure as early as October. i The British Government has given the t use of the Discovery, which was specL ially constructed for the Antarctic expedition of 1902, and the Australian l and New Zealand Governments are supplying the necessary funds. As the L leader has had ample experience and is being enthusiastically supported, l this second penetration gives promise . of still greater achievement than that , of 1911-1914. The scope of the expedition is ambitious, and at least a year , will be required for the accomplish- , of its aims,

Sir Douglas Mawson hopes to continue his previous work on the coastline between the Ross Sea and Enderbv Land, and to visit, if practicable, Enderby Land, which, has not been approached since it was discovered in 1832. A careful and prolonged study of the. meteorological conditions will enable the relationships between the ; climate of Antarctica and the southernmost' inhabited countries to be better . understood. The importance of de- , voting a great deal of attention, as is contemplated, to the distribution of • whales, will be realised in view of the spread of commercial whaling on a , large scale, to these waters. It is likely that use will be made of the aeroplane j for, reconnaissance and the combination of; this with detailed scientific j ground work should result in dis- , coveries of the highest value. , >