BYRD EXPEDITION

Hokitika Guardian, 28 November 1933, Page 3

BYRD EXPEDITION

ANTARCTIC BASE CONSTRUCTION AX EXPERIMENT TO BE MADE J (Special to Press Association), WELLINGTON, November 27. From Byrd Expedition, aboard the Ruppert. 1 Admiral .Bvrd lias annculnced that he plans a spectacular experiment in Polar exploration. After , arriving at tlie base at Little America, it is expected that early in January he. will establish a Winter base on the rim of the South Plateau for continuous meteorological observations,' ' completely isolated even from Little America. He will leave one, and possibly two, men there: for eight months, four of: which will be spent in total darkness in an especially-,constructed hut to- withstand - ‘ninety degrees' below zero weather and - a -l : 50-miles-an-hcur gale'.' It will bb'reinforced, .to stand for months

Milder, snow.: The dimensions of the !iiit will be thirteen feet by nine feet, and seven feet high. The structure will retain 90 per cent of the heat generated from a special liquid fuel. The but will have equipment to- maintain continuous 24-hoim weather (observations. There will he a small portable radio with a hand-crank generator to enable the observer to com-municate-with Little America.

Admiral Byrd said that the reason for establishing this base was to study tile Antarctic weather. He remarked: “The South Polar ice cap is the great" est weather breeder i,u the world. Storms originate there which effect crops and living conditions throughout the Southern , Hemisphere/ -Heretofore all of- the Antarctic weather observa-tion^,-,iiavr bficn-i? .’Confined to- coastal bases. We,want to push inland as far as possible, ..and to maintain a continuous watch in the area where storms ar.e bred. By co-ordinating those observations with those of Little America, we hope to develop important information dealing with how these tremendous storms are born/” He said he had not yet chosen the man or men for the staff of this outpost.

SUPPLY SHIP IN THE PACIFIC

From Byrd Expedition, aboard tho supply ship, Bear: On Sunday afternoon, the veteran ice breaker pushed her way into the waters of the Southern Hemisphere for the first time for half a Century: The traditional Neptune ceremony was hold, The ship is now headed for Papeete and Tahiti, where she will coal. She is expected to arrive about December 13. Thence she will proceed to Wellington, where it is hoped to arrive in time to usher in 1934.