Evening star., 1921-04-10
LAUNCH SCHOONER
FOR ARCTIC TRIP
Explorer Macmillan Builds
Almost IndestructibIe Ves-
sci for Dash North.
By the Associated Press.

EAST BOOTHBAY. Me. April O.
The schooner Bowdoin, built to carry
Donald b. Macmillan, the explorer,
on his next arctic voyage starting
in July. was launched at noon to-
day from the shipyard of Hodgdon
Brothers here. The schooner was
christened with roses by Miss May
Fogg of Freeport, a niece of the
explorer.
In design and construction the
Bowdoin embodies all elements of
special provision for the work ahead
of her suggested by the long ex-
perience of Macmillan. who was the
chief lie-t>rant of Peary in his sue
cessful expedition to the north pole.
Her hull is egg-shaped. with moth
ing to which ice can cling. Under
sufflcient pressure from the ice foes,
the Bowdoin, instead of being crush
ed. should lift out of water and
be carried along with the pack, and
as safely slip back when the pres
sure is relieved.
Confidence in Ship.
So confident is Macmillan of the
schooner's ability to cope with the
frozen channels of the far north,
that he plans to pass through the
dangerous Fury and Hecla strait on
the west side of Ba fin bay, where
former expeditions have been lost
or turned back His plans include
also either a return by the strait or
the circumnavigation of Baffin land
after exploring stretch of 1000
miles of its western shore. on which
1t is believed no white man has ever
set foot. 1t is said to be the long
est strip of unexplored coast in the
world.
The Bowdoin is of about the size
of the Discovery. William Baffin's
ship. which. in 1916. was the first to
reach Baftin land. She is eighty feet
ten inches in length, nineteen feet
seven inches beam, and nine feet six
inches draft. with total dispiace-
ment of lis tons. She is of the
knockabout auxiliary schooner type,
equipped with a forty horsepow
er crude-oil burning engine, an in
stallation which the explorer hopes
will insure him cruising radius vir-
tually unlimited by the use of whale
oil to supplement the regular fuel
supply. If the plan to use whale
oil proves practicable, he says, the
expedition will have a clear advan-
taSe> over former ones. as the fuel
supply has always presented serious
problem in arctic exploration.
The schooner will have a generous
spread of canvas to enable her to
, sail home when clear of ice, should
the fuel give out.
Stannch Hull.
The staunchness of the hull is as
sured by heavy frame planked with
three-inch white oak. to which has
been added at the waterline a five
foot belt of green heart of ironwood.
This armor is said to withstand the
grinding action of the ice better
than steel Dr any other material. as
the ice merely polishes its hard sur
face Whcn winter sets in. three
foot covering of snow and ice will be
placed over the entire ship, with
snow houses, after the Eskimo style.
to the hatchNaVS
The expedition is planned to cover
two years, but may be prolonged.
1t will go under the auspices of the
Macmillan Arctic Association. largely
p composed of alumni of Bowdoin Col
lege. from which Macmillan as we'll
as Peary were graduated The ship
has cost $500 and her equipment
s will add $4,000 to this amount.
The party will consist. besides Mac
MILAN. of an engineer. three scien-
lists and cook. all of whom will be
carefully selected.
The Bowdoin will remain at East
Boothbay through May and a~part of
June for the finishing touches. She
Is to he completely stocked and pro-
visioned by the last of June and will
start north the first week in July.