Paragould soliphone. (Paragould, Ark.) 1918-1950, 1922-03-31
AMUNDSEN IS
IS HERE FOR
DASH TO POLE
Will Study Arctic Region
in Planes-Plans to Drift
Across Pole = Daring
Feat

/
I"roof of the world" sketched yes
terday in full for the first time by
Capt Roald Amundsen, discoverer of
the South pole.
Stavangerfjord, the explorer plunged
at once into the work of organizing
the expedition which sails June l !,
from Seattle, to drift across the
Amundsen expects will revolutionize
polar exploration and provide a
short cut to invaluable scientific
knowledge.
time for the North pole will not be
like those which have preceded it.
It's vision will not be confined to
few miles on either side of the ship,
but from the air it will be able to
take in at a glance objects 200
miles away.
1t will not be for years cut off
from touch with the outside world
|
der if the Northland has smashed
in its icy fist the hardy adventures
who encroach on it's Businesses In
stead, it will talk by radio four
when it returns in three or five
years it will know what the civiliz-
ed world has been doing during it's
absence.
Means New Charts.
1t will not have spent years
charting merely a narrow strip, but
with the aid of aviation will be able
to chart 100000 square miles,
Stretching the currents of the air as
we'll as those of the sea. For CEN
Ituries scientists have believed that
currents of the North pole have been
responsible for climatic phenomena
in the part of the world in which
civilized man lives, and Amundaen
hopes to accomplish with his air
planes on a five-year voyage what
would take 40 years, millions of
dollars and many lives if only ships
and dog sleds were employed.
1t is upon his two airplanes that
| Amundsen pins his chief hopes, and
it was upon one of them that he
focused his attention as soon as he
stepped ashore yesterday.
Hardly had he landed than he
FASTENED to a conference with John
NJ. Larsen, governor of the Aero
nautical Chamber of Commerce of
America. After luncheon came the
announcement that the larger of
the two planes selected by the ex-
plorer will be the all-metal Larsen
monoplane which on December 30,
flying over Mineola. l.. l., in zero
weather, established the worlds
record for continuous flying of 26
hours, 10 minutes and 35 seconds.
Larsen Aids Plan.
The plane is being supplied by
Mr.. Larsen at his own expense, and
the contribution which the airplane
manufactures will make to the ex-
petition will represent about $4O,-
900. The plane has been renovated,
and test flights will be made from
Central Park, Long Island beginning
next Thursday.
Amundsen is confident that the
mon0plane-the eyes of his vessel.
Maud-will be able to do its work
we'll, permitting great sallies to
either side of the vessel and send
ing warnings OF ice fields and dan
gerous currents that should be
avoided.
The plane has tried its wings in
a temperature of AZ degrees below
zero. Last year Mr.. Larsen made
q 6,000-mile trip in the ship from
New York to the Arctic by way of
Edmonton, Alberta, and the Peace
river, and reported that the plane
handled" as well as if she were
being blown into the balmy air of
Florida. Amundsen yesterday said
he expects seldom to encounter a
temperature lower than that in
which the plane has been tested
Besides the monoplane. Amundsen
will take an Aero scout plane, a
smaller British ship, which viii be
used only within the vicinity OF the
Maud. The monoplane, with a cab
in in which II persons 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. She has been
Thoroughly renovated. With her aid
Amundsen believes, he can chart a
200-mile wide course across the top
of the earth.
Norwegian Is Pilot.
After his conference with Mr..
Larsen, Captain Amundsen and
Lieut.. Oscar Omdel of the Nor
wegian naval air force who arrived
yesterday with the explorer took
up the question of testing the mono
plane at Central Park. Omdel who
will pilot the ship, is an expert me-