New Britain herald., 1926-05-17
THE TRIUMPHANT TRIP OF THE NORGE

ties had a dirigible been blessed with such good flying weather over most of the distance as came 10 the Norge in it's epoch making trip from Rome to Alaska. Not till the last few hundred miles of the long journey was reached did the dirigi- blo face threatening blows,
 From the day early in April when the nose ropes Of the sllNery sky cruiser were cast off before a null titude of velIwishers in the Eter- nal City, 10 the day just past when the great craft arrived at it's desti- nation in Alaska after tilting through the hitherto unknown arc tic regions between the North Pole and it's terminus, the weather had been as if made to order for the greater part of the voyage.
 At times cold? Yes. But the in trepid sailors Of the air were pre- pared for a change in climate. Al times windy? Certainly. But the long silver bullet glided triumph antly through the brisk air cur rents of the high attitudes. Its worst foe - fog was not met. When after it's pilgrimage 10 vari- ous European cities it finally turn ed it's nose to Kings Bay and ar rived there nothing but perfect arctic weather greeted the indub- table conqueror Of the skies. Tn" dash over the Pole and then over the vast unexplored regions to the side of it was through splendid weather for arctic flying. The prior trip to the Pole by the Byrd air plane fully established tho unusual character Of climatic conditions hanging over the Polar center at this time and stimulated an earlier passage than had been anticipated
 And now under the joint com mand of Roald Anundsen the old ice dog Of arctic history--Lin- coin Ellsworth and Colonel Mobile. he first Polar dirigibIc is at Teller an outpost in Alaska where sum lner is a name and perpetual chill is a matter of climatic routine. Long before the great arship ar rived at its Alaskan destination that uncanny invention of mankind - the radio - told a waiting world Of her approach, then mysteriously was silent for two days. A vast area has been added to tho known regions. an area as large as a third Of the United States. for the scason- d veterans Of the air were abb to glimpse 5000 square miles an hour from their perch in the cabin Of the Norge. But none Of it was
 land.
 Just as important, perhaps, is proof that trans-Polar flying be- tween the continents is possible, and that the dream Of such trans portation within 2 reasonable lime in the future is not only a proba bility but a possibility. For once the terrors Of the arctic have been subdued by the roar Of propellers and mankind has been shown that such trips are feasible. No one knows how quickly other airships will take the trail so splendidly broken by the pathfinder of the arctic.
 To fly through arctic regions successfully has been hruitcd ever since airplanes and dirigibIes con quered the cloudladen regions of temperate climes. Perhaps 1t took longer than most people suspected before the arctic would be tackled in such concentrated fashion as was the case this year. But at last the day has arrived when a "trip through the arctic regions" is no longer the dream Of a former day. II has been Q wonderful week for aoronautical conquest - a historic week. one that will be Chronicled in every school book for every child 10 read and study in the gen. crations 10 come. II is not too much 10 anticipate that the com bination Of safe flying and radio will conquer every unknown part of the globe within the next few years. We will have air trips through the antarctic regions 10 the South Pole and the adjacen; wastes; to the interior Of coni- ueuts now only dimly known and unmapped. The age of adventure. fer from having passed in inc an- raIs of mankind is rather at it's hoighth