The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1924-01-23

prepared by the National Geographic So
| ciety, Washington. D. c.
Valuable information which ma,
help farmers, fishermen and sailors
as well as scientific data that viii
materially enrich mans knowledge o.
his spherical home promise to flow
from an extended survey of the Arctic
regions. Such survey, to be made
next spring, has been ordered by Sec
rotary of the Navy DENLY with the
authority of President Coolidge, and
will be participated in by the National
Geographic society.
The expedition Is to traverse the
most extensive unexplored region that
remains on the face Of the earth. 1t
lies, roughly, in a large wedge-shaped
slice, at the threshold Of American
territory, between Point Barrow, Alas
ka, and the North pole. This north
ern tip Of Alaska is separated from
the pole by 1887 statute miles, and
the direct path between the two cuts
the center Of the million-square-mil lie
region of mystery. 1t is not even
known whether this Is an area of land
or water or both.
Only the edges of the unexplored
region have been skirted, but deduc-
tons have been drawn from careful
observations which seem to indicate
that land exists there. This conclusion
has been reached by number of OBJ
servers from a study of the movement
and age of ice and from tide and wave
measurements. If land exists there
1t may harbor minerals of great value
as does Spitzbergen in a comparable
situation on the other side of the pole.
1t Is entirely possible that islands, If
they do exist in the unknown region,
may have such an economic value that
the planting of the flag of the United
States there may be accounted an act
of great foresight by future genera
lions.
Animal life abounds In the Arctic,
fish are plentiful, and as multiply
ing population turns more and more
to the sea for its food the submarine
life of the Polar regions assumes ever
increasing Importance. Oceanic man.
mails, especially whales and seals,
into reach of mankind's habi-
tations upon the Arctic's outskirts.
Should aircraft be used to make a
flight over the 1887
mile course between Point Barrow and
the pole the flight will be another men,
orable exhibition of the navy's initia-
tive and daring, but it will be far
from the rash adventure the layman
might at first imagine.
Indeed, the flyers would have some
marked advantages over similar dis
lance across Atlantic ocean waters.
The continuous daylight of polar
summer eliminates the handicap that
entails in the event of me-
,hanical troubles In an uncharted |
'egion the 24-hour day is especially |
'elpful
Not So Bad for Flyers.
Flyers would encounter leads of |
water short distances apart in much |
Il the unknown zone. These would |
,ermit planes to alight, and would
How the use of convoy planes to |
ring supplies, relief and additional
The ice foes are virtually
afety RATS for the flyers. In trou- |
lie. a plane alighting in the water
lways would be in easy reach of ice
#, II. under sufficient control TO lard
n the ice, it could there make repairs
II radio for relief.
The radio, of course Is prime fac
or in eliminating hazard in Arctic
ying.
Another important advantage the
Irctic holds is the eternal calm of the
vaters. No high seas are ever en-
ountered among the leads, as fire.
uently Is the case in the Atlantic.
Comfortable flying temperatures are
Practically certain in an Arctic sum-
ner. The weather bureau has record
d 100 degrees at Fort Yukon, Alaska.
n this respect the use of aircraft gives
he polar explorer a new-found ad-
antage over the pioneers who had
o brave the extreme cold of winter
o gain the benefit Of unbroken Ice.