Evening star., 1924-02-10
Navy Expects
Sh henand e n O a h to
H a We Successful
Journey in Map
ping New Regions,
Extending Ameri-
can Territory and
Studying Wind and
Weather Condi-
tions-Forecasters
Here to Derive
Benefit From More
Complete Data.
BY CHARLES III. COLEMAN,
Bureau OF AerOnautics, Navy
Department.

A the plans for the Nary's aerial
~ Arctic expedition develop, the
~ Importance of the work to be
done and the care with which
the project is to be undertaken become
more and more evident.
The Navy's expedition is not q fool
hardy dash to the pole. The north
pole has already been reached, and by
an American naval officer, Rear
Admiral Robert e. Peary. so that the
single purpose of flying over the pole
would not be sufficient justification
Tor the project. But the far north
holds information that, II known,
would be of the greatest benefit to
mankind in general and this country
N particular. Owing to the difficult
ties OF surface travel. the information
can best be obtained by the use OF air
craft.
This information the Navy proposes
to get, and for the purpose will use
the rigid airship, Shenandoah, and six
planes, besides two converted Navy
fuel oil ships fitted as airship tenders
with moorfng masts for the use Of the
airship and with supply and repair
facilities on board.
These vessels. the T. s. S. Ramapo
and the Z. S. s. Patoka. will also carry
The six planes that are to take part,
three planes on each vessel
The expedition has three distinct
purposes in view. The first Is to "see
what it's all about'-to thoroughly ex-
plore the unknown area Of over one
million square miles In extent, lying
no To- r.1ra a..
Any land that may exist In this terri.
tory will be located and claimed for
this country.
In this connection, the exploring to
be done by the Navy's aircraft this
summer may prove to be but a flrst
step. Should land actually be discov-
cred, the next step. a goal for further
expeditions. would be thoroughly to
examine the territory for signs Of oil
or mineral wealth.
Y :: i
THE second purpose OF the expedi-
Il ton is to demonstrate the practi-
caoility Of a trans-polar air route from
North America to Europe and Asia. A
glance at globe will show that the
distances between points in the north
ern hemisphere, as for Instance. Lon
sion to Toxic, or Seattle to Moscow, is
very much shorter. If the route is
across the Arctic than If the usual sea
routes are followed
h.The Arctic. 1t is believed. offers un-
Equally good conditions for. airship
avel during nearly half Of the year.
IN the summer in the far north the
sun never goes down. The summer
is one long day, with the continuous
heat of the sun to drive away the cold
Of the long Arctic winter.
One Of the most important prepara-
tions being made for this expedition by
the Navy has been the accumulation
Of data on wind conditions in the
Arctic. The records of over forty
Years, from weather observing stations
in Alaska and from the logs of ships
that have. sailed in the Arctic ocean,
show that during that period no winds
have been recorded in the Arctic dur
ing the summer of over forty miles an
hour. and of that velocity but rarely.
When 1t is remembered that the air
ship Shenandoah successfully rode at
her mooriug mast at the naval air sta
tion at Lakehurst, y. j., on January
TO, during a wind Of more than sixty
five miles velocity, and that when a
wind of sixty-eight miles an hour
finally wrenched her from the mast,
she was navigated without danger. In
Il damaged condition, In a seventy-mile
gale. this absence of high winds gives
a convincing argument as to the safety