Barrier of Pack Ice

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 879, 24 January 1930, Page 9

Barrier of Pack Ice

ANXIETY FOR BYRD'S EXPLORERS Relief Steamers Held Up S.O.S. TO NORWEGEAN WHALERS United JP. A.—By Telegraph—Copyright Received 10.30 a.m. WASHINGTON, Tliursdav. REAR-ADMIRAL BYRD'S backers have requested emergency assistance of the State Department upon receipt of word that several members of the Antarctic expedition are in danger of their lives owing to the difficulty the steamers Eleanor Boling and the City of New York are experiencing in the unprecedented condition of the ice pack. The backers have asked that aid of the Norwegian whalers be solicited to assist Byrd's vessels to penetrate the iee and proceed to Little America.

There is no mention of danger to life, however, in a direct radio message received this morning from the Bay of Whales. The special radio message sent by Russell Owen from the Bay of Whales to the New York “Times” says RearAdmiral Byrd has asked the State Department to request the Norwegian Government to have its powerful whalers help the City of New York and the Eleanor Boling through the ice pack. The City of New Y'ork has reached the edge of the ice pack and has found unprecedented conditions there. The Eleanor Boling will join her on January 26. To avoid spending another year in Little America, the expedition must leave by February 20. Five whalers are in the Ross Sea, and they could force their way through.

Byrd returned yesterday from a flight to Discovery Inlet, flying west

from here 100 miles, then south 140 miles, through the centre of the Great Barrier, in a search for signs of laud which would protect that long arm of the sea and explain its formation. The only possible indication of land was in the region of pressure about 100 miles south of the inlet area. Fifteen thousand square miles of new territory were observed during the flight. While in the air, Rear-Admiral Byrd was in touch with the steamer City of New York through the station here, discussing matters connected with the problem of getting out this year. Because of the late season and the heavy pack, this is assuming a serious aspect.

One message was a telephone communication which the New York received from London, and which was sent, to Little America from the office of the New York ‘‘Times,” and relayed to the plane while over the Barrier, more than 100 miles from Little America.