Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-17
ARCTIC FLIGHT SAFE.
SAYS LANSDOWNE
New Commander Discusses Feast
bility and Possible
Discoveries.
PROMPT ACTION NEEDED
Ready to Go Anywhere With
Shenandoah, He Declares.
Special Dispatch TO The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
LAkEHURST. n. j., February 16.-
An exploration flight to the north
pole is perfectly feasible, and there is
not the slightest danger of loss of
life, Lieut.. Commander Zachary Lans-
downe. new commander of the Shen-
andoah. said here today.
Commander Lansdowne took over
command of the air station and the
giant dtrigib1e at 10 o'clock this
McCrary, who has been ordered To
sea duty with the Pacific fleet
President Coolidge has halted prep
arations for the projected flight to
the top OF the world, leaving the mat
ter up to Congress. Rear Admiral
Mofett, chief of the Navy bureau of
aeronautics. has announced that un-
less Congress acts favorably within
ten days, the flight will be off, this
year at least.
Prompt Action Necessary.
Action must be taken very prompt
ly," said Commander Lansdowne, 'If
the flight Is to be made in June or
year"
Are you ready to take the Shenan-
doah to the pole?" he was asked
Il am ready TO take the Shenan.
doah anywhere" he replied.
1T will be ready in month. or
perhaps a, month and a half"
Is hight to the pole feasible?"
Perfectly feasible" he replied,
adding that he was satisfied "abso-
iutely" with the personnel assigned
TO him.
Commander Lansdowne said there
is doubtless undiscovered land in the
polar area and he already has mapped
out course of action in the event
that Congress approves what would
be the greatest feat of air naviga-
ton since the crossing Of the At
iantic.
"All the exploration would be done
from the air" he continued, and
many photographs would be made. II
hitherto unknown land were sighted
a man would be put off by line or
Would l do that? Possibly. But my
business is to maneuver the ship and
l would have to see that the man
who took possession in the name of
the United States got on board
again."
Weather Possibilities.
The commander said that invaiu-
able meteorological observations
could be taken at the pole and that ii
probably would be possible to track
down billiards. at their source
The Shenandoah could fly in the
Arctic better, perhaps, than any
where else the officer said. There
are certain things about the Arctic
region which lads TO that conclusion.
For one thing. the cold air would
mean more lifting power. Then there
wouldn't be the same difficulty with
expansion of the gas as it experienced
during daylight hours in this zone
for instance. And there wouldn't be
contra cti0n Of the gas at night.
The exploration flight would not
last more than three or four days
The ship would make the last leg to
the pole from Nome"
Trial flights will be resumed. the
commander said, when the Shenan-
doah is ready for the air. The work
of reconditioning the airship is pro-
ceeding steadily. 1t was heavily dam
aged last month during runaway
fight, when storm ripped 1t from
it's mooring mast.
Commander McCrary will remain at
the air station for several days. Wed
nesday or Thursday ne intends to en-
train Mt New York for San Francisco,
where he will join the fleet. E.