SCOTT'S DASH FOR THE POLE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 147, 30 September 1910, Page 3

SCOTT'S DASH FOR THE POLE

REMARKS BY MR. B. C. DAY. POWERS AND POSSIBILITIES OF motor sledges; * Christchurch, September 27. Among the passengers on' the s.s. Tongariro, which arrived at Lyttelton today, was Mr, B. C. Day, who is in charge of the motor sledges to be used by Captain Scott's Antarctic expedition Mr. Day (brought out three motor , sledges, which, standing complete and ready ifocr action, are in cases at Lyttelton. . . ■ ! In conversation with a reporter Mr. I Day Said that the three motors were similar in design and construction, Each. wa9 driven by a. four-cylinder motor of 14 'horse-povyer, which were air-cooled. They were capable of doing 3% miles at top speed, and 1%. miles at low speed. The idea of these comparatively loiw speeds was that the men accompanying the motors would be able to walk alongside during their journeys. The driver could walk by the side of the motor and control it without any difficulty. Trials had shown that each of the motors could pull a two-ton load over any surface, either soft snow some feet deep, or hard ice. The trials were held in Norway last March, where the motors were introduced to snow six feet deep, and each pullqd a couple of tons in good style. The motors do not run on wheels as in the army traction engines. The frames are built of ash, the only metal being that used in the working parts, ■which are of steel and aluminium. The mechanical construction was, in fact, I very similar to that of an ordinary car, with the exception that the motor I sledges did not run on wheels. The total length of the sledges is 10ft, but fore and aft there were lengthening poles j running out four feet at each end and bringing the total length up to 24ft. These, it was anticipated, would be of service in negotiating crevasses. These poles may be unshipped and loaded on the sledges if so desired, and they may also be used for tent poles. It was quite probable that they would t>e so used by the party with the sledges, so that they could simply camp by their machines at the end' of their day's journey. Addng a few technical details, Mr. . Day said that the exhaust comes out into an exhaust receiver, and is carried straight out of. that through a big tank for melting snow. This, it was believed, I would result in the saving of oil for I cooking purposes. The ignition was Bosch dual ignition. The sledges would be used for depot-laying on the southern journey, and also to go as far south as they possibly can, probably a distance of 400 miles, or as far south as the foot of the southern glacier. The sledges have, of course, been specially designed for work in the Antarctic, and Mr. Day is very hopeful that they will achieve satisfactory results. The amount of petrol taken for each journey of 400 miles will be 250 gallons, weighing close on 20001b. This will leave a balance of a ton of general cargo of provisions and i other requisites for the men, ponies and [dogs. Travelling on "smooth barrier" I'hard snow would suit the sledges, hut I a good deal would depend on how the | blizzards of the Antarctic were behavi ing at the time.