WILKINS TO GO NORTH

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 937, 2 April 1930, Page 9

WILKINS TO GO NORTH

SUBMARINE FOR ARCTIC EXPLORATIONS TRIBUTES IN AMERICA United P.A.—By Telegraph—Copyright NEW YORK, Monday. The Commissioner-General for Australia in the United States, Mr. Herbert Brookes, and Mrs. Brookes, gave a dinner in honour of Sir Hubert and Lady Wilkins. There were 52 guests. Sir Harry Armstrong, British Con-sul-General in New York, paid a tribute to Sir Hubert. He said that when the explorer made his flight across the Arctic he was claimed as an American by some of the newspapers in the United States. Sir Harry said that he and the former British Ambassador, Sir Esme Howard, were much pleased when King George conferred a knighthood upon Sir Hubert a month later.

The president of the American Geographical Society, Mr. G. H. Finley, remarked that without waiting a month his society had awarded the explorer its gold medal. Indeed, it did so three days after his flight. In responding Sir Hubert referred to the independence of the Australian character. He commented on the remarks of Mr. Finley and Sir Harry Armstrong, and said he came to the inevitable conclusion that his work was international in its benefits. . UNDER THE ICE The explorer made important explanations about his submarine expedition to the Arctic next year. He said people thought the contemplated trip fantastic, impossible and too dangerous. But Steffanson, in 1913, had declared that the airplane ultimately would be limited to reconnaissance work in the polar regions and that the submarine had the greatest possibilities. Sir Hubert said he now found this was borne out. Thirteen years of study had convinced him that by submarine alone could a practical study be made of the currents and depths in the Arctic Sea—possibly the deepest ocean in the world. Pendulum tests would determine whether the north is truly the top of the world. In his flight of more than 1,000 miles and in his journey on foot over 5,000 miles of Arctic ice-packs he had seen no ice field longer than | 25 miles. ELABORATE PLANS Therefore a submarine would always be able to rise to the surface for re- : charging batteries for trips of 135 i miles under the sea. Furthermore, j there were the devices for breaking through the ice, etc. The most important factor of the submarine was the ability to land parties on the ice for study at convenient intervals. In a subsequent interview Sir Hubert said his aim and ambition were even more extensive than he had announced. He admitted that the Arctic was so well known that there remained little pioneer work to do, but he was going to the Arctic principally to study the summer ice conditions —such a very important factor in all the polar regions. The experience he hoped to gain in the North would enable him, immediately after the northern summer of 1931, to proceed to the Antarctic with a submarine for even more extensive investigations there. DISCOVERY’S RETURN RECEPTION AT ADELAIDE VALUABLE WORK DONE ADELAIDE, Tuesday. When the Antarctic ship Discovery, with Sir Douglas Mawson on board, berthed at Adelaide, congratulations from the Governor of South Australia, Sir A. Hore Ruthven, from the Government and from the public on the successful conclusion of the expedition’s first voyage were embodied in an enthusiastic welcome to the party on board. The ship is to remain here about a week. She is to be thrown open for inspection and will- then depart tor Melbourne. Sir Douglas said the ex'pedition charted hundreds of miles of new coastline. The airplane proved invaluable. They made a complete investigation into whaling and accomplished a phenomenally large amount of general scientific work. The ship brought back thousands of specimens. These have not yet been placed on view. TEAM-WORK TRIUMPHS Sir Douglas and his party were given a banquet this evening by the South Australian Government. Many notable people were present, including the Governor-General, Lord Stonehaven, and the State Governor Lord Stonehaven paid a tribute to the remarkable team-work of the expedition which was, he said, a triumph of organisation typical of the British race. He read a message from the King congratulating Sir Douglas and his companions on their wonderful achievement in the face of formidable hardship. Sir Douglas's speech was a recital of absorbing incidents from the time iof leaving Capetown last October until the party reached the -pack-ice. He announced that an Australian flag had been raised on the newly-discov- . ered territory.

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