The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1914-10-16

Two of the Five Taken on Antarctic
Quest Have Air PropelIers-snoueh
Specially Prepared Food Packed IN
Sausage Skins to Last Through the
100 Mile Trip.
Air propelled motor sledges mounted
on fiat runners like skis form the main
reliance of the antarctic expedition
headed by Sir Ernest Shackletoh'
which Is on its way to explore the
great continent that surrounds the
south pole. A writer in Popular Me
chanics declares that in this and many
other respects the expedition Is better
equipped with modern devices than
any previous body Of polar explorers
has ever been.
Details of food supply, shelter and
provisions for the general health anu
comfort of the members of the party
nave been worked out with scientific
care. tested in the snowtields of north
ern Norway and pronounced perfect,
Five motor sledges will be taken.
One of these has a fifty-fve horsepow'
err gasoline engine, another a forty
horsepower. These two have air pro
pellers, but for use against laad winds
they are also equipped with positive
drive mechanism in the form of tooth
ed drums attached at the rear to en-
gage the ice and snow. In the ex
tremely low temperatures Of the ant
| arctic the snow becomes as loose as
| drv sand, so these sledges are mounted
on fiat, skilike runners to prevent them
| from stalling.
Result of Seven Day Test.
In u seven day test in Norway one
of these air propelled sledges, carry
ing six men. towed another sledge
weighing 400 pounds and carrying two
men, at q speed of from fifteen tt
| twenty miles an hour Only a thirty
| horsepower motor was used Instead o.
the larger ones that have since beeI
installed, with which speed OF TWEEN
| ty-two miles an hour up 10 per cen
grade with three men on board MAJ
been made.
Two other sledges have the positive
drive only and are expected to cove
about fifty miles day each as agains
the 75 to 100 miles of the aero sledges
The engines of these are water cooled
and the water jackets are piped u
steam cooking appliances. so that 100
NAV be heated while on the march
Scientifically Devised Rations.
The food problem of the shackleto
expedition is particularly Difficult
one. Food supplies for the entire Joul
new of 900 miles from WeddeIl sea
the pole and 500 miles from the pol
TO Ross sea must he taken ATOMS
whereas most polar explorers are abb
TO make caches of food for use on tn
return Journey. So a scientifically d'
vised ration. on which the members
the party have already subsisted fC
DAYS at time. has been prepared an
enough of it packed in sausage ski
for easier transportation to last throuS
, the LOO mile trip.
Each man will receive thtrty-si
t ounces of food daily, instead Of Il
three pounds which is the average CO.
{ sumption. In this will be six ounce
of lard. four ounces of sugar and tW
ounces of mixture of dried milk, pr
tein and oats The rest of the ratio
consists of Brazil nuts, almonds al
beechnutS mixed with oil and drit
milk. The fat content of the ratio
. is larger than the normal for tempe
n ate climates. since the low temper
i ture will place severe strain on Il
: heat producing elements of the bod
which can only be kept up TO norm
by plenty of fat foods.