Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-03-31
TO. THE. POLES BY AIR
Explorer Amundsen Has Wonderfully
Interesting Plans.


Interesting Plans.
AS fascinating as tale by Jules
Verne was the plan for aerial explora-
tion of the roof Of the world" sketch
ed to the reporters in New York Tues
day in full for the first time by Capt
Roald Amundsen, discoverer Of the
south pole.
Arriving from Norway, the ex-
plorer plunged at once into the work
Of organizing the expedition which
sails June l from Seattle to drift
across the north pole-an expedition
which Amundsen expects will revolu-
tionize Polar exploration and provide a
short cut to invaluable scientific
knowledge.
The expedition which sails this time
for the north pole viii not be like those
which have preceded it, according to
its leader ~ r' '
Important New Plans.
It's vision will not be confined to a
few miles on either side Of the ship
but from the air 1t 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; instead 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 doing
during its absence.
1t will not have spent years charting
merely narrow strip. but with the aid
of aviation, will be able to chart L.
100000 square miles, sketching the
currents Of the air as well as those Of
the sea. ''F "r.'
For centuries scientists have be-
lieved that currents at the north pole
have been responsible for climatic
phenomena In the part Of the world
in which. civilized man lives and
Amundsen hopes to- accomplish with
his alrplancs in Ave years voyage
what would take 40 years, millions Of
dollars and many lives IL only a ship
and dog sleds were employed.
Pins Hope to Two Planes.
1t is upon his two planes that
Amundsen pins his chief hopes and
it was upon one Of them that he
focused his attention as soon as he
stepped ashore today.
Hardly had he landed when he
fastened to a conference with John
M. 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 explorer
would be the all-metal Larsen mon
oplane, which on Defender 29, flying
over Mineola, L. l., ifis zero weather,
established worlds Fecord for con-
tinuous flying of 26' hours 10 minutes
and .25 seconds.
The plane, Captain Amundsen ex-
planned, was being 'sapplied by Mr..
Larsen at his own expense.
Plane Already Tested.
Amundsen is confident that the
monoplane-the eyes uqof his vessel
Maude-will be abieto do its work
we'll, permitting far sailies to either
side of the vessel and sending warn
ings of ice fields and dangerous cur
rents that should be avoided.
The plane already,o has tried its
wings in q temperature 4S degrees
below zero. Last year Mr.. Larsen
made a 6,000-mile round trip in the
ship from New York to the Arctic cir
Gle by way of Edmonton, Alberta, and
the Peace river, and reported that the
plane was handled as well as IL it were
being handled in the balny airs of
Florida. Amundsen said today he ex-
pected seldom to encounter tenn
perature lower than that in which the
plane already has been tested.
Besides the monoplane, Amundsen
will take an aero-scout plane, a
smaller British ship, which will be used
only within the vicinity of the Maude.
The monoplane, with cabin in which
II, passengers Nave been carried, will
be elf-supporting. It Is so equipped
that 1t canicarry large stocks Of fuel
and provisions and to:it can be ad-
justed skis, wheels or pontoons, so
that it can land on any surface.
Lieut. Oscar Omdel," Of the Nor
wegian naval air forces, who arrived
today with the explorer, will pilot the
ship. -
Going to Washington.
Amundsen had not decided tonight
whether he would carry out his plan
Of flying from New York to Seattle
in the plane.
The explorer plans to leave for
Washington in about week for con-
ferences there with government of
ficials and scientific authorities and
then will proceed to Seattle. One OF
the objects of his visit to Washington
is to complete arrangements for wire
less relays.
His radio pant at present consists
of flashing reports from airplane to the
mother ship, which Is equipped with
transmitting apparatus Of 1000, miles
radius. The ship then will .communi-
.o.o ,,,;.l, Nro,,a and Nome