The Holly chieftain., 1922-06-22

And l have seen coal beds so easily tapped
that even the lazy natives use them.
"That is not ALL have heard tales of fossil
ivory. of furs, of radlum, of great meteoric dla-
mond beds that formerly furnished crown Jewels
for Russia. The wealth of the Arctic Is tre-
mendous"
Petersen may be right he may be wrong.
Anyway, there Is corroborative evidence Of Sorts
Stefansson certainly Seized" Wrangel island last
year and took possession In the name Of Great
Britain Notwithstanding 1t was discovered many
years ago by United States naval vessels and
claimed United States territory. While Stef-
nnsson has refused to divuge the purpose of this
years expedition he did say this
"The development and colonization OF the
Northland will surely begin with the present gen
Grafton. The mystery woven around the north
has resulted from mislnformati0n. Theories that
1t Is unnhabitable have been forever rejected, for
1t has been proved that fuel and food exist in
abundance.
"Slnce the true conditions in the north have
been realized colonization and commercial
ploitation will surely follow. The animal life is
the basis of attraction for commerce At first
1t would be largely source of meat supply but
there also large deposits Of oil, COAL copper
und other metals"
Aniundsen seems to have many friends and
they have contributed literally to his exceedingly
comprehensive equipment. An American manu-
facturer of atrplanes has "chipped in to the ex-
tent of about $4,000. He has contributed an all
arctic conditions
Besides the monoplane, Amundsen Will take
scout plane, a smaller British ship which will be
used only within the vicinity Of the Maud. The
monoplane with cabin in which passengers have
been carried, will be sef-supporting. She Is so
equipped that she can carry large stocks of fuel
and provisions and to her be adjusted skis,
wheels pontoons, so that she can land on any
surface. With her aid, Amundsen believes he
can chart 2OO-mile-wde course across the top
of the EARTH
The planes will be designed to permit Of land
ing land water and will be equipped with
fuel tanks for twenty hours flying. Only one
plane will leave the ship at time, with the sec.
ond always available for relief work.
Two Norwegian aviators Lieutenant Omdal
and Sergeant Odd Dahl, accompany Amundsen
They will carry moving-picture outfit and about
10000 feet of film. Both omdal and Dahl are
expert wireless operators End expect to keep the
Maud in touch with Spitzbergen, and to receive
messages from the Norwegian wireless station at
Stavanger.
They also expect to talk with Washington
They plan to flash reports from airpane to the
mother ship, which Is equipped with transmitting
apparatus Of 1900 miles radius. The ship then
will communicate with Alaska, and Nome will
relay to the powerful station at ST. Paul, on the
Behring sea. st. Paul will send the messages d.
rectly to Washington
Dr. Fl. U. Sverdrup. technical expert for the
expedition, assembled at Seattle what was said
to be the most complete equipment OF technical
apparatus for meteorological research ever assem-
bled for n polar expedition. The equipment
packed In forty cases, was lent to the expedition
by the Carnegie institute and Smithsonian instl-
tution the coast and geodetc survey and the
United States weather bureau
The Norwegian army and navy have presented
to the explorers the and munitions they
may need and sixty boxes of specially selected