The herald., 1922-07-06

I~ does look. after all, if there was
something under the sun.
iUHpWNl Capt. Roald AmundSen is the IA
IL. ell nous Norwegian explorer who dis
k6EAi covered the South Pole. The purpose
iB*sET%I of his present expedition is to re-
iS "a sumo the work interrupted last year
by mishap. He started from Norway
Under government auspices To explore the Arctic.
After drifting through the Northwest passage his
vessel, Maud. had propeller blade smashed in
the ice off the northeastern Siberian coast SO
the Maud taken to Seattle for repairs. The
sturdy vessel thoroughly reftted in Lake
Union, Seattle's fresh-wnter lake. And that's how
II HAPPENS that Amundsen's second start is from
America
Amundsen visited Washington before his start
and evidently established friendly relations with
Uncle sam 1--WE want to find out what is in
the Arctic circle" he said there 1T is believed
that the information which may be obtained from
Il thorough inspection Os the territory around the
pole will be of value to science"
81 am going TO retire from the exploring bust
ness when this trip is finished" he said. II have
been engaged in making explorations ever since
was twenty-One years oil and think il is about
time to rest little bit. The life is a very hard
one and makes great demands upon strength and
vitality. At any rate have been mt it for a
good many years and have had about enough"
Jules Verne has nothing on ROald Amundsen,
as the Norwegian outlines his plans for exploring
the roof of the world. His expedition will not be
like those which have preceded It, Its vision
will not be confined to a few miles on either side
of the ship, but from the air it will be able to
take in ut glance objects 200 miles away
IL VIII not be for years cut off from touch with
the outside world leaving friends and relatives
to wonder if the nOrthland had smashed in its
icy fist the hardy adventures who encroached on
its Businesses. Instead, ii will talk by radio
every day with all the world
IL will have spent VparS chartfnr mpraIv a
narrow strip. but with the aid of aviation will be
able 10 chart 100000 square miles sketching
the currents of the air rs well as those of the
sea. He hopes to accomplish with his airplanes
in Il fve-years' voyage what would take a score
of years. millions of dollars and many lives if
only ship and dog sledS were employed
Now, here's another view of the expedition
based upon the additional fact that Vilhialmur
S:efanSSon, the famous Canadian explorer is also
headed for the Arctic. Capt. c. D. Petersen the
Lone Wolf of the Arctic" skipper of the whaler
Hermann, thinks there's something doing beside
science in these two expeditions Captain Peder-
sen was I'm San Francisco just before Amundsens
departure from Seattle. He said he was anxious
10 sail, so as 10 get a ring side seat under the
n aurora borealis. From that vantage point he
kwants to watch what he says is history's great
lest international marathon across the top of the
world in which the untold riches of the north
land VIII reward the victor
Principals in the international race TO the mole
will be Roald AmundSen diScoverer of the South
Pole, who'll represent Norway and Vilhialmur
Stefansson, who'll carry the flag of Great Britain
They'll start as the ice will LET them-
Amundsen from Seattle with ship eduipped with
airplanes and radio, Stefansson from WrangeI
island with the old-fashiOned equipment of dog
sled.
The two explorers tell the world they'll shut
themselves off from civilization and risk their
lives in Arctic icepacks for the glory of discovery
and scientific achievement.
But Wolf Petersen says there's more than
that in the expedition. He sees race for vast
treasures hidden behind the ice barriers
He says the explorers are seeking for Norway
and England great radium mines vast oil fields
and coal deposits, fossil ivory, diamonds, areas
of fertile land where reindeer thrive.
II cannot believe" Petersen says "that Eng
land and Norway have gone to this great expense
purely for exploration purposes.
For / myself have seen oil oOze from the
ground and form a lake near Point Barrow-oil
SO pure that natives burn it in lamps without
refining!