ANOTHER U.S. ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5286, 24 December 1946, Page 5

ANOTHER U.S. ANTARCTIC EXPEDITION

NEW YORK, .December 23. A Washington correspcndent said that the British are evacwating the American Marguerite Bay base in the Antarctic, about 100 ihiles SGutlnvards of Cape Horn, to make way for the American scientific expedition led by the retired United States naval commander, Finn Ronne. . ' The base was built by the Byrd expedition,' and it is reported as having been held by a secret British mission since shortly after the start of the seeond world war. The British are now moving to their own hutlets, about 250 yards from the former American "Eas't Base." The" move follows a carefullycouched diplomatie Note recently presented to the British Ambassador in Washington, informing him that all buildings, food, coal, petrol supplies and other equipment left by Admiral Byrd in 19-41 must remain there 'for the Ronne expedition, which h-as the full baeking of the American Government, and for any future U.S. scientific expedition. a result 6T the Note, the British Colonial Offiee- sent a special representative to Washington to inform Commander Ronne -personally that the British were moving out. Commailder Ronne, who was formerly Admiral Byrd's second-in-command at the east base,. told the Colonial Offise representative that he expects to leave the United State shortly. The Note did not refer to British, jlaims in *the area, which are based on the grounds that it is vithin Britain's Graham Land, former'ly claimcd by the Graham Land Expedition. In addition to competing with British and American interests, Chile, .Argentina and N.orway, all of whom are reported to be planning to send expeditiotis to the Antarctic, also claim this area. Commander Ronne's sponsors include the Army, Air Force, and the offiee of naval researeh. His expedition is not related to the Navy's eurrent expedition which is heading for a point about 15,0*00 milcs away.