The Raymer enterprise., 1922-06-22

"And l have seen coal beds SO easily tapped
that even the lazy natives use them
THAT is not ALL have heard tales of fossil
ivory. Of furs of radlum, Of great meteoric dla'
mond beds that formerly furnished crown jewels
for Russia. The wealth of the Arctic Is tre-
mendous"
Petersen may be right or he may be wrong.
Anyway, there Is corroborative evidence OF sorts.
Stefansson certainly Seized Wrangel island last
year and took possession In the name OF Great
Britain, notwithstanding II was discovered many
years ngo by United States naval vessels ana
claimed as United States territory. While Stef-
ansson has refused to divulge the purpose OF this
years expedition he did say this:
"The development and colonization OF the
NorthInnd will surely begin with the present gen.
Grafton. Tie mystery woven around the north
has resulted from mlsnfOrmation. Theories that
It Is unnhabitabe have been forever rejected, for
It has been proved that fuel and food exist In
abundance.
"Slnce the true conditions in the north have
been realized colonization and commercial ex-
ploitatlon will surely follow The animal life Is
the basis Of attraction for commerce. At first
It would be largely source Of meat supply but
there are also large deposits of oil, coal, copper
and other metals
Amundsen seems to have many friends and
comprehensive equipment. An American manu-
facturer Of airplanes has 'chpped in to the ex-
tent of about $4,000. He has contributed an all.
metal monoplane which has been tested to meet
arctic conditions.
Besides the monOplane, Amundsen will take a
scout plane, n smaller British ship which will be
used only within the vicinity Of the Maud. The
monoplane. with cabin In which passengers have
been carried will be self-supporting. She Is so
equipped that she can carry large stocks of fuel
and provisions and to her can be adjusted skis,
wheels or pontoons so that she can land on any
surface. With her MD, Amundsen believes he
can chart 200mllewide course across the top
Of the earth.
The planes will be designed to permit OF land.
ing on land or water and will be equipped with
fuel tanks for twenty hours flying Only one
plane will leave the ship at time. with the Sec
ond always available for relief work.
Two Norwegian nviators, Lieutenant Omdal
and Sergeant Odd Dahl. accompany Amundsen.
They will carry movng-plcture outfit and about
10000 feet Of film. Both Omdal and Dahl are
expert wireless operators ind expect to keep the
Maud In touch with SpitZbergen, and to receive
messages from the Norwegian wireless station at
Stavanger.
They also expect to talk with Washington.
They plan to flash reports from aIrplane to the
mother ship which Is equipped with transmitting
apparatus Of 1000 miles radius. The ship then
will communicate with Alaska, and Nome will
relay to the powerful station at st. Paul. on the
Behring Sen. St. Paul will send the messages d.
rectly to Washington.
DIR. II. U. Sverdrup, technical expert for the
expedition, assembled at Seattle what was said
TO be the most complete equipment of technical
apparatus for meteorogcal research ever assem-
bled for polar expedition The equipment,
packed In forty cases, was lent to the expedition
by the Carnegie institute and Smithsonian nstI.
tuition. the coast and geodetic survey and the
United States weather bureau.
Tile Norwegian army and navy have presented
10 the explorers the arms and munitions they
may need and sixty boxes Of specially selected