Evening star., 1925-04-07

mas discovered the North Pole.
ABOUT May l another expedition
manned by Norse-commanded by
capt. Amundsen-will travel by air
planes, from Spitzbergen, the island
northeast of Greenland, and under
take to ny over the pole, voyage
of 900 miles, in hours They will
! take provisions for 80 days, but they
really hope to make a round trip in
one day. aside from "a hours stop
at the pole.
But such an adventure is not 10
be compared in scientific Importance
with the exploration of the great
unknown by Capt. MacMillan's ship,
together with two naval airpIanes.
| which will put off from the shin
after reaching terra incognita ana
| travel farther in one hour than
pedestrian explorers could in week
That region between the pole and
Alaska, 1000 miles in diameter has
never been penetrated. Science, the
measurement of waves rolling from
the unexplored region, the tempera-
lures of currents of water and air
and other phenomena tend TO indi-
cate the presence of a vast body of
land. What is in that land? Are
there minerals, coal, oil? Possibly
forests? 1t is supposed to be OF
twice the area of Texas-the greatest
unknown body in the world
Admiral Peary crossed Greenland
upon his first exploration, and after
travelling hundreds of miles upon a
plateau of ice descended into a val
ley filled with an amazing abundance
of flowers and other vegetation. AT
Fort Yukon, Alaska, the thermometer
sometimes reached 100 degrees Fab
renheit. Temperature is governed
more by altitude than by latitude
we find eternal snow in the tropics
and the coldesr seas under the
Equator.
Furthermore, our meteorologists
are just beginning 70 realize how in
adequate is their knowledge OF
weather conditions so long as their
daily observations are taken over an
area omitting those vast regions of
the Arctic and Antarctic. In a sea of
air probably reaching many hundreds
of miles overhead they are getting
actual conditions extending up only
six or eight miles. How little is
known of the great rivers of air.
pouring like cerulean Gulf Streams"
through the atmospheres! From the
cyclones and anti-cyclones of the
Arctic there flows a stream west of
the Rockies, and another across the
plains of midcontinent There is
where our weather originates, and
when we receive radio reports from
stations in the undiscovered MacMil-
Ian Land and from Spitzbergen,
Greenland, Siberia and Alaska, our
weather will be foretold days before
it reaches US.
Scientists tell US that if during the
northern Winter the Euraseun
anti cyclone is less intense than nor
NAL, ii means that in India there will
be a breakdown of northeast mon
soons. Or If in India the monsoons
are less severe, there will be less
ice pack in the Arctic. Also, If the
latitude 3S degrees s., that means
that Weddell Sea (in the Arctic) is
comparatively clear of ice.
r x X x
When We reflect upon the small
ness of the earth in the great uni
verse it ceases to be strange that
the entire globe is affected by the
same conditions of the atmosphere,
and that studies of a restricted area
for meteorological. conditions are al
most futile.
How little do scientists know of the
nature OF the aurora borealisi Is it
magnetism? Is II electricity? Is II
refraction of sunlight? If either. why
does it exist in the Arctic region and
Is never seen in the Antarctic?
When air traffic establishes routes
along the great circles from America
to Eurone passing over the North
Pole where will there be way stations
and supply stations en- route? Is it not
a wonder chamber of mystery which
Capt. Macmillan is going to explorer
Copyright, 1925. BY Paul v. cciiins.s