ARCTIC EXPEDITION

Hokitika Guardian, 5 January 1931, Page 3

ARCTIC EXPEDITION

SIR GEORCE WILKIN’S PLAN SAN FRANCISCO, November 26. A giant fislf with steel skin, and electric heart and with scientists in its stomach, sailing : slowly across the North Pole, its dorsal fiii always' rubbing against the ice ceiling of the Arctic Sea. Sir George Hubert Wilkins, famous Australian explorer of both Polar regions, evoked this fantastic picture when lie revealed the'details of his proposed submarine voyage under the Polar ice water from Spitzbergen to the Behring Sea, across the North' Pole, scheduled to begin next July. U.S. Submarine 0-12, iii which the trip will be made, lias been fitted out elaborately. Of tlie crew of eighteen men, twelve will operate the boat arid six will be engaged in scientific research. The course via the Pole to the Behring Sea is 2100 miles. The submarine will travel slowly about 50 miles a day, and at the end of each 50 mile lap it will stop for eight hours for scientific study. The entire voyage is estimated to take 42 days. This will , allow a few days’ halt at the North Pole. At every stop Sir Hubert will briadcast messages to the world while the submarine is under tlie thick Arctic ice. The antennae will be thrown up through holes in the ice which will be bored by special drills. “I expect to find the ice from two to twenty- feet thick,, never .thicker in the open sea;” said Sir Hubert. “Tlie dorsal fin of tlie submarine will always be in contact with the ice ceiling. Thus the submarine, will follow the unevenness of'the;ceiling . 'arid be kept free from collisions/’ Sir Hubert said that among other strange things the expect itiori would study ocean depths, dim:- . tion and force of currents, animal and mineral ;contents of water, bottom . samples, gravity observations, weight of earth crust, magnetic variations, comparisioii with magnetic and gyroscope compasses.

i Sir Hubert added: “We will first cross the Atlantic to England and then proceed to Germany and Spitsbergen! Prom Spitsbergen we expect to go to: tluv Behring Sea and we will come into San Francisco a year from limv. The most hazardous part of the venture is crossing, the Atlantic—far more hazardous than crossing the. Polar regions. “You see, there is always traffic oil the Atlantic and consequently the danger of collision, whereas in the Arctic, Ocean there is practically no traffic and'thus little travel danger. I do not anticipate any mechanical difficulty negotiating the underseas trip. I expect to leave Spitsbergen for the; undersea journey on July Is next. . 'Spitsbergen is the most accessihlb/point to start from. Very little is known about tliese Arctic currents, liut we expect to get some advantage from them in inanoeuving under the ice.” ./ ihe fresh air problem would be solved when! they, come to the surface once a day.. “I will he a passenger, more or less,” he said. “My Captain will be an expert subriiarine navigator. Carri Peterson, radio man, when went to the South Pole ,witV Commander Richard Byrd will he my radio expert. ,