FLIGHT TO THE POLE.

Shannon News, 7 March 1924, Page 4

FLIGHT TO THE POLE.

ARCTIC TERRORS IMAGINARY.

AIR ROUTE OF THE FUTURE,

The United ■ States naval - dirigible ZRI was launched at Lakehurst, New Jersey, last y Cctober. She was constructed under, the supervision of the Bureau of Aeronautics of the United States Navy, and in a special sense under the direct care of the: head of the bureau, Rear-Admiral W/A. Mofr fett. ' ■ . - ■■ At the time of the launching, Admiral Moffet issued, a statement announcing the project of an.aeronautical expedition to the North Pole. "It is quite true," he said, "that conditions in the Arctic, so far as aerial navigation is concerned, are not altogether known. This in itself would constitute ample justification for such a flight; but the fact is that conditions in that part of the world are generally known to such an extent as to render the project entirely feasible. It is not considered that the proposed flight is extremely hazardous, If such were the case it would 'not be attempted." * ' ENGLAND TO JAPAN VIA POLE. Admral Moffett went on to say a trans-Arctic flight, in his opinion, was no more dangerous or difficult than flights over tropical Africa or South America. He enumerated the benefits to be gained from the projected polar expedition as follow: 1. Pioneer exploration of aerial polar routes for future commercial development. It must be realised that polar routes by air connecting England, Japan, Alaska, and Siberia are possibilities in the near future, and that they will be of incalculable value in cutting down time and distance between these points. 2. The training of airship crews on such a flight would be invaluable. 3. Under this head the admiral ( gave an extended summary of the expected scientific v results—geographib, meteorological, etc.

4. Furthermore, it is believed that such a flight will be an incalculable boon to aeronautics. For one thing it should demonstrate to those not familiar with airships the tremendous possibilities oi such craft. ( "As to supply bases, these," said the admiral, "could be established at Nome (Alaska), Spitzbergen, and Greenland. . . . Nome is about

1500 miles from the North Pole. This represents one day's travel in an airship. ... or a round trip in 48

hours. . , Forty-eight hours does not represent more than a normal flight for a rigid airship such as the ZRI. In the event of serious damage to the ZRI (while on a flight across seas partly ice-covered) she would certainly be in no worse plight than if such misfortune should ; overtake her in a (southern) transoceanic voyage. In fact, it would be in her favour (to be forced to land in the Arctic rather than in the Atlantic, for instance). As to atmospheric conditions, at the North Pole, the areas surrounding the Pole, contrary to general belief, are not subject to intense cold or to high winds, except during the winter season. . . In the long polar summer. . . temperatures encountered at altitudes navigable by airships are approximately -those found in England during winter."

NEW MAP OF THE WORLD. Discussing recently the prospects of the American project, Mr Vilhjalraur Stefansson, the noted Arctic explorer, remarked that: "Although the honour of demonstrating the new view of the suitability of Arctic climate for air travel seems about to fall to the Americans, they are not the only nation that realises the advantages of the northern flying routes. In a speech at Sheffield before the Institute of Transport, in June last, Major-General Sir Sefton Brancker, Director of Civil Aviation in Britain, mentioned as a probability of the next ten years the carrying of regular mails by dirigibles from Great Britain to Japan over a trans-Arctic route going north from London and then south to Toldp. The * advantages of 'such a flying route over any other possible between the two capitals had been explained by me in a book called 'The Northward Course of Empire,' about ten months eariler, and the prediction made that such a route would come into regular use "in perhaps five,' perhaps twenty years.' There were, doubtless, earlier publications of the same views. A few years ago such statements would have been considered ridiculous by the majority of thoughtful people. The present change of attitude is due to progress along two lines. In flying we are conquering real difficulties day by day; in geography we are learning that the chief terrors of the Arctic are imaginary. Even should polar conditions prove as favourable as we now believe, arid the success of the ZRI as easy as Admiral Moffett predicts, we shall fail to appreciate the importance of the achievement unless we look at a map of the northern hemisphere—one that j has the equator for its circumference. Such a map compels the realisation that the Arctic is not 'at the topi of the world,' but central with reference to the lands upon which we live that radiate from it as from a hub. You will probably discover also that in comparison with the rest of the world the Arctic is rnuch smaller than you thought, and therefore less formidable even were it dreadful."