ANTARCTIC VOYAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 29 August 1932, Page 5

ANTARCTIC VOYAGE

WILKIN’S PROJECT

COMMENCING FROM N.Z.

(United Press Association— By Electric

Telegraph—Copyright.)

NEW YORK, Aug. 26. The Australian explorer, Sir Hubert Wilkins, in a special interview, out- / lined two projects which will complete his nolar, investigations, supplying the remaining data on which to organise an International Bureau for the purpose of establishing permanent meteorogical liases in' the Arctic and the Antarctic zones, and thus giving the Northern and Southern Hemispheres a weather forecast years in advance. Wilkins already has spent eleven years on this work. He is particlarly interested in the Antarctic and declares that the meteorological information will be of great value to Australia* -New Zealand, the South American countries, California, Florida, South Africa-, India, Malaya and China. Hljs first expedition will to the Antarctic on a aeroplane fight which his financial backer, Mr Lincoln Ellsworth ia conducting. This* expedition will leave Dunedin in November, 1933, calling at Australian ports on its return 1 . They have purchased a five-hundred ton Norwegian whaler with an auxiliary engine to take their aeroplane to the edge of the ioafield of Ross Sea. Thence they will set out on a flight of discovery from the Pacific to the Atlantic, and return. It is fifteen hundred miles across the Weddell Sea. Mr Northrop, is the designer of the Lock-Heed ,-planes, in one- of which Wilkins flew across the Arctic Ocean. It is a- new type of single-engine aeroplane, cappble of a speed of 240 miles hourly, Carrying one thousand pounds weight. It is also capable of flying 1 five thousand miles non-stop, thus giving a margin of two thousand miles. It is hot proposed to land at Weddfell Sea, but merely to fly there and come straight back, with the idea of discovering whether the Pacific centre consists of a large continent, or whether it is split into- a group of islands. Wilkins, in 1928-1929, discovered fourteen new. islands in an area formerly thought to be part c-f a main Antarctic Continent. Beyond these southward, a continent, apparently extended, hut it is unexplored, and it is im.portent to know its exact formation. J There will be four aboard the aeroplane, namely, Ellsworth, Wilkins, a meteorologist and Bernt Balohen, the Norwegian who flew Wilkins, failing to obtain Australian assistance fo r an Antarctic expedition, changed his plans , and went to- the Arctic. His second' project is another submarine crossing of the Arctic Ocean in the Summer of 1934, Wilkins himself commanding this expedition. He out that his submarine cruise jn 1931 did not accomplish what he intended in ascertaining the- conditions under the ice. It was experimental, but the scientific results were so successful that one American institution immediately voted ten thousand dollars for the publication of the data, which is being issued next month. These data are concerned with oceanography, bottom samples, water contents, ocean temperatures, gravity measurements, and the influence of gravity under northern conditions, giving qn idea of the geological content of the earth’s formation.

His second expedition across the Arctic aims at determining the condition of the mid-Arctic ice during, the summer, enabling a decision as to whether it would be safe to camp on the ice, or whether it would be necessary to maintain a submarine beneath the ice for meteorological observation. ' The new submarine, which is to be simple in construction, will cost 75,OCO dollars. He has obtained tenders from Britain and Germany, but, as Americans are providing the backing, it is probable the submarine will be built in the United States. The voyage will be less expensive than the previous venture, because he has retained 150 thousand dollars worth of scientific equipment from the latter. The 'party will number seven. The expedition will start from Spitsbergen.

Mr Ellsworth is a remarkable man of fifty-three, a wealthy bachelor, a geologist and a civil engineer. He has a castle in Switzerland. His hobby is mountaineering. He shuns publicity' and is devoted to scientific work. He flew with Amund’se-n in the Arctic in 1925, and was lost for six weeks, He participated in an airship flight across the North Pole in 1927.

Wilkins, although American finance has helped him to tarn fame, still cherishes this Australian citizenship. Attending a conference 'of transoceanic aviators,in Rome last month, ho saw an American flag stuck in tb bonnet of his car. Wilkins would not enter until someone found an Australian flag, which Wilkins thenceforth has carried. He understands the difficulty of obtaining Australian support for scientific orter™"Vs. Conditions there aro very different from those in th United 1 States, where many millionaires are eager to give substantial backing. Nevertheless, Wilkins hopes to> persuade the Australian and New Zealand Governments to- participate in proposed International bureau. Wilkins, between his exp-edi-tions, makes an iii-ome by lecturing and writing newspaper and magazine articles. He points out his scheme for

a chain of meteorological stations is important from the Australian and New Zealand viewpoints. It promises reasonably accurate seasonal forecasts, possibly many years in.advance.

Wilkins explains that the Antarctic mass of ice is a refrigerating unit It is important to have details of the distribution of the ice and' surrou.ding waters, also the influence and direction of the low temperature currents from the Antarctic. Complete international co-operation is necessary for success. Peru and Chili are delaying their projected meteorological programme in the hope of wider combined action. Wilkins says his work hitherto has been practically without Government assistance. There only remains a little geographical! investigation to determine the best sites for weather stations. Wilkins will be remembered by many Australians soldiers as an official photographer on the West Front, his spirit of adventure and utter recklessness of 'personal safety being evidenced by repeated journeys to the front line, accompanying the first attacking line, and following a . barrage, carrying §till and movie cameras, his pictures showing a few soldiers standing or kneeling with a background of grey srnoke in no way indicative of the perilous position.

WILKINS OUTLINES PLANS. NEW YORK, August, 26. Sir Hubert Wilkins, outlining his project for establishing permanent meteorological bases in the Arctic and Antarctic zones, giving weather forecasts years in advance, says Lis first plan flight will lie a Antarctic aeroplane flight, leaving Dunedin in November, 193 d, and calling at Australian ports on th« return. A whaler will take the ’plane to (lie Ross Sen, and it will make a polar flight from Pacific to Atlantr. It in, not imposed to land on the Weddell Sea, hut to fly there and back, observing whether there is a continent or a group of islands. Lincoln Ellsworth is, his hacker, but he hopes; to persuade the'; Australian Trid Now Zealand participate in the maintenance of bis bureaus.