The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-12-26

WOULD EXPLORE
VIA SUBMARINE:
StefanssOn Thinks Such a
Trip to Pole Would be
Feasible
FAVORS ATTEMPT
TO USE AIRPLANE
Believes Journey Gould be Made by Air,
Although Convinced that More Valua-
BILE Data Could be Collected by Cruis-
ing in Undersea Boat.

NEW YORK, Dec 26.-Ni lhjalmur Ste
fansson, explorer of the arctic regions,
believes that it is feasible to explore the
country about the north pole with an arr
plane, and he thinks much valuable in
formation may be obtained by Capt. Rob |
ert 4. Bartlett and his associates on their
proposed air voyage over the lands OF the
| furthest north Mr.. Stetansson thinks, |
/ however. more detailed and more valuable
information may be obtained by cruising
the northern seas in the latest and biggest
type OF submarine.
III as | have been informed, said Mr.
Stefansson, they now have submarines
that can submerge to the depth of 200
feet, with a cruising radius of 10000 miles,
then party of scientists, III such craft,
could make known practically all that
there is vet unknown in that vast area.
am more interested in submarine ex-
petition than in one by aircraft, because
am more interested in the purely scien
tiiic aspects OF arctic exploration. The
submarine il seems to me, offers the op-
portunity that all along has been needed
| successfully to make detailed scientific in
| vestigatlon
The submarine OF the type OF which
| / speak can pass under the largest ice
| bergs and can cruise through all the wat
/ ers Of the arctic regions. In such craft
it would be possible to carry sufficiently
large company Of scientists, equipped with
| all necessary instruments, to obtain de
tailed data on sea chemistry. sea life, and
ocean currents The study could be mad,
as leisurciy as might be Necessary to max,
it thorough | do not know enough about
the work OF airplanes to be able to say
how accurately surveying can be done
from the air. But fear there is not
| room in an airplane 10 carry many instru
ments and other scientific equipment.
doubt, also, ii aircraft explorers could q,
much valuable undersea work
The promoters of the proposed airplan
| expedition have been good enough to tel
me Of their plans, and ! am in hearty az
cord with them. believe they may accom-
plish Just what they hope 10 accomplish.
The expedition viii use seaplanes and the
not only can fly over the polar regions
| but there j. much water area up ther
that they will be able To make safe LAND
ing almost anywhere they choose Durin
the months in which They purpose worl
ing. the temperature in the North is mil
Il enough for flying on anything else f,
= plol ny the top OF the world from the al
N IS capital idea and viii be an event
b plimc Importance
Captain Bartlett said Yesterday that h
was. al course, greatly pleased with I'll
d decision OF the Aero Club Of America t
e send him on the proposed trip The wor
D &C surveying he said would be great
q simplilicd by the use Of aircraft
w II have made several fights, he sal,
a and as soon as | saw the extensive ranl
3 that an aviator has at height OF frol
e 0o0 feet upwards, realized how simp
81 Il would be To explore the arctic in al
B craft. ! propose doing whatever am alb
b 10 do IN six weeks Of the months of .Ju
e and August. During those weeks the ten
Il pcraturc seldom falls below 60 degree
n During those weeks more exploration ca
Re done IN an airplane than was ever dol
D b. all the arctic expeditions put togethc
X But the waIm weather ouly lasts abo,
q siN weeks or two months and in the hg
q attitudes, ships are handicapped by Il
ice and usually get caught in il on Il
return trip. With airpanes it is dificren
q We can cover a great deal of ground in
n very short time and we can land at csta
ishcd base at different points from viii,
- make soundngs and to get data fro
n The bottom Of the polar basin, as we'll
q from the upper air. We can also ascc
q tain the direction OF air currents and .
tam other meteorological data.
. But the work in the air will be on
3 part OF what We purpose to do. "
n.cnd to iiy clear across the polar are
4 rom Cape Columbia, ON the Amcric,
side, to Cape Cheluysl1 on the Siberi;
side. We intend to make cXtens
Il sonndlngs IN the polar BASIN and make
3 mao Of the floor Of the basin We /
tond also to explore the upper air in b,
n looms. There are more than 900 q
auarc miles OF uneXpored tcIitrry
the basin and it is quite posslb!, that ,
s:al find new lands there