Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1922-06-03
AMUNDSEN TO RADIO
WASHINGTON DAILY
FROM NORTH POLE
Explorer OFF for Arctic With
Airplanes and Wireless Out
fit in Equipment.
STARTS ON VOYAGE TODAY
by Associated Press TO rvory Evening.


Seattle Wash. June 5.-whcn
Captain Roaold Amundsen's explors
ton ship, Maud, sails from Elliott Bay
here today for her long voyage
through the ice packs Of tho uncharted
North Pole basin. one Of the most
complete and extensive gcientif'c
expeditions ever undertaken In that
region will get under way.
The expedition Is a resumption of
the effort begun by Captain Amun1-
sen. I'm 1918. under auapices of the
Norwegian government 10 drift past
tho North Pole with tho Ice foes. min
Iutely studying phenomena OF the vast
area never before visited by white
mon. and 10 obtain data which the ex-
Iplorer expects may revolutionlze pres
ont day meteorological and ocean
biographical knowledge in the northern
hemisphere
The expedition. Captain Amundsen
has repeatedly declared. is primarily
ecientifc one. and while he hopes 20
reach the North Pole--he discovered
the South Polo IN ioii--the study of
ocean and magnetic currents. the
drift 81 the ice pack and movements
of the air will he his FIRST objective.
Special investigation will he made
Ito determine whether land exists In
tho neishhorhood Of the pole. Much
attention will be given to tho ocean
itself and through holes bored I'm the
Ice, scientists of tho expedition will
mea sure tho depth Of the water. direc-
tion and strength of submarine cur
rents and take samples from different
levels for chemical analysis
The two airplanes--one capable TO
carry nine passengers. and the other
n three seater-and the wireless outft.
the explorer deems tho most impor-
tant items of tho vessels equipment
with the planeH--the eyes of the
ship he will make an intensive OK
iploration of tho huge area of almost
a million square miles covering tho
roof Of the world" Tho largest plane
viii he used for the more extensive In
vestigations while the scout plane
will ny in the immediate vicinity Of the
vessel
BY means Of the wireless equipment
Captain Amundsen expects TO keep IN
touch with tho world and perhaps r.
fash tho message that. following
b Peary, he has reached the Mort h
Pole -Four times daily ho will send
wireless messages 10 Washington
lgiving meteorological data expected n
: aid measureahly in forecasting wealth.
> or conditions throughout the globe.
. Every rrecaution has been taken Il
I guard the expedition against tbs
b twists of fate in tho Arctic that 81
{ often IN the past have caused the fail
( ure OF cxplorative efforts and resulted
- In tragedy for those who took part ir
7 them.
. Captain Amundsen IL skeptical o
D the theory that an explorer can live
= on the country" in that part OF th'
{ world, and tho Maud has been stocked
Y with provisions TO last seven years
= Sixty tons OF fuel oil have been taker
aboard. Husky" dogs. TO be used II
n slcdge work after tho vessel is frozeI
. into tho ice, will Join the vessel a
= Nome.
!, To provide recreation In the loni
. Arctic winter nights. books--many n
9 them--have been added TO the stor'
:. Six hundred pounds Of candy form d
= important item Of the cargo.
The Maud is expected 10 reach Nom
within three weeks, and by July l I
:. be heading out into the Arctic. Ic
y conditions are reported TO be bette
than during the last ten years and tn
explorer is hopeful OF reaching a poin
- far north before the pack closes fl
lifting the little ship bodily to Il
surface.
. Captain Amundsen expects TO drif
. past the Pole from a point off North
u east Siberia to Spitzbergen within fiv
'e or six years.