The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1914-10-29
SCIENCE'SLATEST
POLAR WEAPONS
New Devices Carried by The
ShaCkIetOn Expedition
UNIQUE MOTOR SLEDGtS.

Two Of the Five Taken or Antarctic
Quot Have Air PropeIlcrs--E nough
Specially Prepared Food Packed In
Sausage Skins to last Through the
100 Mile Trip.
Air propelled motor sledgcs mounted
on Hat runners like skis form the main
reliance OF the antarctic expedition
headed by Sir Ernest shacklcton.
which il on its way to explore the
great continent that surrounds the
south pole. A writer IN Popular Me
chanlcs declares that IN this and many
other respects the expedition II 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 aud
comfort OF the members of the party
have been worked out with scientific
care. tested In the snowfields Of north.
ern Norway and pronounced perfect
Five motor sledges will be taken.
One of these has n fifty -five horsepow.
er gasoline engine. another forty
horsepower. These two have air pro.
pellers, hut for use against head 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.
tremeiy low temperatures OF the ant.
arctic the snow becomes ns loose ss
dry sand. so these sledges are mounted
on fat. sklllke runners to prevent them
from stalllng.
Result Of a Seven Day Test.
In seven day test In Norway one
Of these air propelled sledges. carry
Ing six men. towed another sledge
weighing 4Oo pounds and carrying two
men, at speed of from fifteen to
twenty miles an hour only thirty
horsepower motor was used Instead Of
the larger ones that have since been
installed. with which speed ~ TWEEN
ty-two miles an hour up 10 per cent
grade with three men on board has
been made
Two other Slcdgcs have the positive
drive only and are expected 10 cover
bout nfty miles n day each as against
the - 10 loo miles Of the aero slcdges
The engines ~ these are water cooled.
1nd the water Jackets are plpcl Ia
steam cooking appliances. 80 that food
may bc heated while on the march
Scientifically Devised Rations
The food problem ~ the Shacklcton |
expedition IL particularly difficult |
.ue Food supplies for the entire Jour |
ncy ~ 800 miles from Wrddell sen 10 |
he pole and $40 miles from the pole |
20 Ross sea must hc taken along. /
IS h"rraS most polar explorers are able I
Io make caches ~ foud Tor use on the 1
.rturu journey 80 scientifically de- /
i,Ui ration, ou viii IA the members OF /
Zee party have alrrpdy suisisted Tor /
lays NJ a time, has hreu prepared and I
uuuEh Of IL packed To- sausage skins
"r easier transPur,atiuu e. last through
he LOO mile trip
Each man viii receive thirty six
,unces Of food daily. instead 81 the
hrrc pounds which T. the average con
In this will he six ounces
4 bard four ounces Of sugar and two
'unces Of a mixture of dried milk. pro
elm aud oats The rest of the ration
'onslsts OF Brazil nuts almonds and
'ee' hnuts mixed with oil aud dried
milk The fat content Of the ration
: larger than the normal for temper
Il, climates. sine. the low tempem
ure will place a severe strain on the
,eat producing elements Of the body.
Shich can only be kept up 10 normal
y plenty OF fat foods