Evening star., 1925-06-25
MACMILLAN TAKES NAVY RADIO
AND DIFFICULTIES ARE ENDED
Party Preparing to Proceed to Etah Base Tomorrow
or Saturday-Wireless Sets We're Left In Boston
Through OUersight-Weigh 1000 Pounds.

Difficulties between the Navy De-
Ian Arctic exploration expedition over
the type of radio equipment for the
Navy planes were adjusted late yes
terday at Sydney. Nova Scotia, and
today the party is preparing to pro-
ceed tomorrow or Saturday toward its
base at Etah, Greenland.
Comdr. Donald B. MacMillan, leader
of the expedition, agreed to use stand
ard long wave Navy radio equipment
on at least one of the two reconnois.
sance airplanes to be used in flights
over the unexplored region, after Sec
retary Wilbur had served an ultima
tum through Lieut.. Comdr r. e.
Byrd. chief of the Navy. section. that
the Navy radio equipment left in the
United States must be taken along or
Navy participation In the expedition
would end and the entire Navy sec
ton returned to Washington.
Left Through Oversight.
Announcement of an amicable set
tlement of the difficulty by acquies-
cence with Mr.. Wilbur's demands
was made last night by the National
Geographic Society, one of the spon-
sors of the expedition, following a
long distance telephone communica-
ton with its representatives at sgd
ney. The announcement of the so
ciety said the Navy radio equipment
which Secretary Wilbur regarded as
section had been left behind because
of an oversight.
Earlier yesterday Navy officials de-
clared it had been left behind at Bos-
ton and Wiscasset, Me, because
neither the Peary nor the Bowdoin.
base ships of the expedition. had room
for it. The destroyer Putnam. with
the Navy sets from the old battleship
Florida on board, was due at Sydney
today, and the National Geographic
Society said Comdr. Macmillan will at
once take on board the standard Navy
sets and as soon as the Peary has re-
coaled both the Peary and Bowdoin
will proceed north.
The expedition had entered into an
agreement with the Navy Depart
ment, Mr.. Wilbur said, to carry the
long wave Navy apparatus. The Navy
Secretary, according to the Associated
Press, said f. +. Mcdonald, second in
command of the expedition. who is
connected with the Zenith Radio Cor
poration did not want the Navy long
wave apparatus to be carried.
He objected to it," the Secretary
declared, but we insisted and he
finally acquiesced."
Weighs 1000 Pounds.
The equipment weighs 1000 pounds
and was to have been loaded on the
Peary at Boston. II was left behind,
however, and when Navy officers
found it at the dock it was sent to
Wiscasset to be picked up by the
Macmillan ships there.
Both ships sailed without the
equipment from the Maine port and
the next day Comdr. Byrd re-
been left behind. Orders We're imme-
diately given for the Putnam to pick
up the equipment and take it TO sgd
ney, and at the same time Mr. Will
bur dispatched an order to Comdr.
Byrd that the equipment should be
taken aboard at Sydney or the Navy
section would return to the United
States.
The equipment was regarded by the
Navy as essential, not only to the
safety, but to the efficiency of the
expedition, to supplement the short
wave apparatus on both planes and
ships. AS the expedition sailed it was
equipped only with short-wave ap-
paratus, except for a long-wave set
on one of the planes for communicate
ing with the base ships. The appara-
tus now to be taken aboard the Peary
at Sydney will be set up on that ship
and used to communicate with the
planes when in flight.
Upon receiving word from the Geo