New Britain herald., 1925-06-17
PLANS FOR ARCTIC
 TRIP EXPLAINED
MaCMillan'S Program Is Told at Length

Washington, June 1T P,-The pri- mary object of the MacMillan-Navy expedition sailing from Boston today is to make Photographic survey by airplane of the last great unknown region Of the northern hemisphere. that territory lying between the North Pole and Alaska and covering l,000.oo0 square miles,
 Scarcely less in importance will be the exploration Of little known re- gions such as Elesmere Island. Grant Land, Baffin Island and sec tions Of Labrador, as well as the an- cient Morse settlements on the west ern edge of Greenland. In addition plant and animal life, meteorogical conditions, and other scientific ques- tons of the far north will be studied. Due 10 the high mobility given by slrplanes, however. the expedition intends 10 he absent little more than three months. as 1t Is estimat- ed that an airplane in one day can
 
 as could he done by dog sled in more than a month. If all goes well the party will be in full retreat to the south by early fall, in time to avoid the heavy ice movement which by October 1 will 10 a large extent block the passage of vessels around northwest Greenland.
 MacAiillan Is Veteran.
 The expedition Is headed by Don ald B. MacMilan. veteran Of many Arctic explorations and is sponsored by the National Geographic society, which has contributed 10 its support both in money and personnel, while the navy will be participant through personnel assigned to 1t on active duty and sirpIanee and other supplies,
 Heading the navy contingent IS Lieutenant Commander Richard F.. Byrd, of Winchester, Va, who has selected the navy personnel and avi- ation equipment and will be respon- sble to the secretary of the navy,
 
 with the main expedition. With him are two officers and four enlisted men of the navy while at their dis posal are three airplanes of the am phibian type which can maneuver from theIand. ice, and water. Little difficulty in their operation is ex pected, as MacNillan believes the minimum temperatures encountered will not be excessive.
 The expedition after touching at Wiscasset. Me, and then at Sydney, N. S, for coal and other supplies, will 30 direct to Etah, Greenland, where the main base will be estab- lished. From there the airplanes will go to Cape Hubbard on the northern point of Axel Heiberg land, to establish an advance flying base. Two ships arc being used. The Bowdoin, veteran of other Arctic trips with MacMillan, accommodates MacMillan, scientists and other per- sonnel of the main expedition. The Peary is conveying the three air planes and the navy section of the expedition. But two of the airplanes will be used actively in exploration the third being held at Etah with the vessels as a reserve for possi- ble emergency.
 scouting by Airplanes
 The plan calls for two airplanes to scout northwest from AXel Hei- berg land in exploring the unknown region and in looking for land which, possibly of continental mass, is believed to lie between Alaska and the North Pole. Unless land is discovered, however, the entire un- known region will not be covered because of the limitation of the air craft operations. At least 10000 square miles will be surveyed by having the planes shoot out in three different lines for 8 distance of about 800 miles. The two will travel together at all times and if land Is discovered the advance flying base will be advanced 10 1t and the scouting operations continued from the new point. In such an event 1t Is conceivable that the entire un- known area may be surveyed.
 At least three separate flights will be conducted from Cape Hubbard sud if land Is not discovered the expedition will then retrace its steps making side trips over Ellesmere island, Grant Land concerning whose lnteroirs little is known, and pos sibly 10 Capo Columbia at the north east extremity of Grand Land above Greenland,
 RetracinK its steps still further tc the south the expedition intends tc survey from the air tbe interior of Baffin Island. that vast mass discov. cred 349 years ago by Sir Martin Publisher, the English navigator snd concerning which little more i' known than in the days Of Queer Elizabeth. From there the expedi, ton will visit the old Morse settle. ment of 1900 years ago near Got. hsah, Greenland, and then cross tc fhe norfheastern cnast of IahoradoI