The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1922-03-31


able scientific knowledge.
The vision of the expedition will
not be confined to a few miles on
either side of the ship but from the
air II will be able to take in at a
glance objects 200 miles away. 1t
will talk by radio four times a day
with Washington and when 1t returns
in three or five years, 1t will know
what the civilized world has been do
ing.
Chart OF Million Miles.
with the aid OF aviation, II will be
able to chart l 100000 square miles.
sketching the currents of the air as
we'll as those of the sea.
For centuries scientists have be-
lieved currents of the North Pole
have been responsible for climatic
phenomena in other parts OF the
world and Amundsen hopes to ac-
ccmplish with his alrplanes in five
wears what would take 40 years, mil
lions OF dollars and many lives II
only ship and dog sleds were EN-
ployed.
II Is on his two airplanes that
A}nundsen pins his chief hopes and 1t
was on one of them that he focused
his attention today. He fastened
TO conference with John NJ. Larden,
a governor of the Aeronautical Cham
her OF Commerce Of America. Then
came the announcement that the
larger of the two planes would be the
all-metal Larsen monoplane which,
\ December 20 flying over Mineola, l..
l.. in zero weather, established the
worlds record for continuous flying
of twenty-six hours, nineteen min
utes and thirty-five seconds.
Larsen Donates Great Plane.
The plane, Amundsen explained,
was being supplied by Mr.. Larsen at
his own expense and the contribution
which the airplane manufacturer
would make TO the expedition would
represent about $4,000.
Amundsen is confident that the
monoplane-the eyes of his vessel
Maude-will be able to do its work
well, permitting great sallies to eth
ar side of the vessel and sending
warnings of ice fields and dangerous
currents.
The plane already has tried its
wings in a temperature As degrees be-
low zero. Last year Mr.. Larsen made
& 6.OOO-mle round trip in the ship
from New York to the Arctic Circle
and reported that the plane handled
as we'll as IL it was being flown In
Florida.
Besides the monoplane, Amundsen
will take an Avro scout plane, a
smaller British ship, which Will be
used only close to the Maude. The
monoplane, with cabin for eleven
persons, will be self-supporting' IL
Is so equipped that it can carry large
stocks of fuel and provisions, and to
n can be adjusted skis, wheels or pom
ICONS. With its aid, Amundsen be-
,ieves he can chart 200-mile-wide
course across the top of the earth.
Amundsen and Lieut.. Oscar omdei
of the Norwegian naval air force, who
accompanied the explorer, took up
the question Of testing the mono
plane. Omdel, who will pilot the
Ship, is an expert mechanic
Amundsen' had not decided tonight
whether he would carry out his plan
of flying from New York to Seattle in
the plane. Aeronautical experts have
tried to convince him that such trip
would put an unnecessary strain on
the ship.
Amundsen's radio plan at present
consists OF flashing reports from air
nlane TO the mother ship. which Is
aouipped with transmitting appara-
tus of 1000 miles radius The snip
then will communicate with Alaska
and Nome will relay to the powerful
Istation at st. Paul, on the Behring
sea ST. Paul will send the messages
10 Washington.
Amundsen said he would take ten