Evening star., 1925-05-22
BRITISH SEE POLE
FLIGHT HAZARDOUS
AIgarsson, Head of English
Expedition, Remains
in Liverpool.
BY the Associated Press.

LONDON, May 22.-The news that
Capt. Roald Amundsen, after two dis
appointments in previous years, had
finally hoped off yesterday from
Spitzbergen in his long-cherished at
tempt to reach the North Pole by air
caused the greatest of interest here,
where the Norwegian explorer is prom
inently known through his previous
record in Arctic and Antarctic dis
coveries.
There was added interest in the fact
that Grettir- -Algarsson, his principal
competitor, who plans Polar flight
in ca non-rigid airship, Is still aboard
his vessel, the Iceland, in Liverpool
darbor awaiting completion OF his
"blimp" and the conclusion Of other
preparations before he can follow
Amundsen into the Arctic.
AlgarSson 9 principal object was to
carry the British flag to the North
Pole before Amundsen could take the
colors Of Norway to that top Of the
world which Peary first reached in
1903. Algarsson would have started
his flight early in May, but became
i'll with influenza, and subsequently
was delayed by the necessity of max
ing alterations to his airship. 1t now
Is expected that he cannot start his
flight before early June.
Experts See Hazards.
Experts who are familiar with
polar exploration are of divided opin-
ion regarding Amundsen's chances of
success. There is complete unanim-
ity in the belief that the undertak-
ing is one of extreme hazard. 1t is
pointed out that the very fine wealth
er which has been reported from
the polar region recently adds to the
probability of fog, the airman's dan
gerous enemy, because any warmth
in the atmosphere above the open ice
helds is said to be almost certain to
cause evaporation and consequent
mistS.
There also is a likelihood, experts
say, that Amundsen will experience
the greatest difficulty in landing in
the polar regions. Although the start
of the flight from Kings Bay was
facilitated by a smooth fall of snow,
which allowed the runners on the
bottom of the planes to move easily
over the surface, the snow at the
Pole might be rough and frozen into
hard hummocks, making landing per-
ilous. 1t is said that, viewed from
the air, hummocky ice often looks
smooth in the queer shadows of the
long Arctic Summer day, and that
the aviators might not know the
danger of such landing until they
were too low to avert disaster. The
Norwegian explorers announced in
tention of not attempting to land at
the Pole except under the most ia
vorable conditions is approved by
authorities on polar exploration here.
They say that in the event of a
forced landing the greatest danger of
all would have to be faced-a long
trek over ice on skis to the northern
tip of Greenland, the nearest land.
In his earlier attempts to reach the
North Pole the American explorer,
Peary, found open leads in the ice
the greatest danger to sled naviga-
ton of the ice fields, and even his
successful expedition to the Pole was
marred by difficulties with these
leads.
Peary's return from the Pole was in
| late April and early May. before the
influence of Summer warmth, which
reaches even the Pole itself. had be
gun to be felt in breaking up the pack
ice and causing dense fogs. In late
May, explorers say, conditions are al
| most certain to be most difficult The
dangers besetting foot travellers over
the ice in Arctic regions was demon
strated by the fate of Lieut.. Greeley's
expedition in 1882, when more than
half of the party died of hunger with
in a short march of a store of provi-
sions.
However, the Amundsen expedition
is equipped, so far as present human
knowledge can equip it, to meet and
| overcome all dangers which 1t may be
called upon to face.
Amundsen No Novice.
The aviators plotting the planes are
skilled men, familiar with flying in
freezing temperatures and over snow
and ice. Amundsen himself, by his
long experience as one of the most
| noted Arctic explorers, is abundantly
qualified to cope with every condition
of weather in the polar regions. He
is no novice at getting sledges rapidly
over frozen snow. as he demonstrated
| in his successful trek to the South
Pole in 1911. In 1920 he made a long
| journey of more than / 900 miles over
| the great ice covered tundra of north
ern Siberia to reach his exploration
! ship Maud, then frozen in the ice off
| East Cape.
English experts consider it proba Bile
| that II Amundsen is successful in his
| flight to the pole. he may succumb to
| the temptation TO look over the great
| undiscovered territory between the
| North Pole and Alaska, and follow out
his original intention to continue his
| flight to Point Barrow, the northern
most point of Alaska.
| 1t is known that Amundsen believes
| firmly in the existence of land in this
part of the world, and it Is thought
| that if flying conditions permit he
may seize the opportunity of confirm
ing or definitely disposing of that be-
| lief