The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-07-09


the horizon of the rgid north in marked con-
trast 10 the goo OF the eskimo was equipped with
pete radio outfit that those who remained at the base
while Lieutenant Byrd made his thrilling dash to the
Pole in his speeding Fokker might keep in touch with
their chief and the outside world which they kept
formed as to the progress and success the flight
1t was to this same home that he returned after his
hazardous trip and from which of the first mes
were sent to the waiting public telling them
through the lanes of the air that Byrd crced the
pole three times and had returned his Spitzbergen
ome in safety, adding of the memorable pages
to the history of Arctic exploration
Sugar Cane Fights Polar North
When Lieutenant Byrd left the Brooklyn Navy Yard on
the ship Chante he declared he had the best and most
scientifically equipped expedition ever started
for the North Pole. Special plans made for the
erection of his Arctic home Boards of celoex insulating
lumber made from bagasse (sugar fiber after all
juices have been extracted) carried along
with the latest inventions to aid in polar exploration
This building material very light and is filled with
millions of air cells which give great insulation value
and resistance to change in temperature especially the
cold One odd circumstance in connection with
the of this material is that the sugar of the
south utilized to fight the cold of the north.
Celotex selected instead of lumber because tests
made by the United States Bureau of Standards and
its universal use in building construction all the
world had demonstrated that this insulating lumber
would keep the quarters Of the explorers and
protect their living conditions securely than erd
nary building material
1t only after careful investigation by the scientific
in the expedition that ceotex selected. These
authorities pointed out that the protection afforded by
Its insulation efficiency three times great ord
nary lumber and nearly twelve times great that
of brick and other masonry material The ship Chanter
also was lined with ceotex as an added precaution to
keep the ship while the explorers used it in the
preliminary stages of the expedition.
In practically every other way this expedition
scientifically prepared than any its predeces
These included inventions of Commander Byrd
himself. simple compass conceived by Byrd and
developed by Mr. Bumstead of the National Geographic
Society, superseded the complicated Device de
veoped three years ago for Amundsen. The drift in
dicator also Byrds invention The bubble sextant
by which the navigator obtains his bearings while in
flight another of his inventions Still another
scientific development quick method of telling when
is at the North Pole. This has been worked our
by G. Ittlehales the navy's photographic engineer
Device Locates the Pole
Byrd ana others contributed to a chart Of the mag
petic lines flowing toward the magnetic North Pole
which in Boltha Land 1900 miles south of the Pole
between Boltha Land the Pole the campass points
south instead of north and over much OF the Arctic
II is badly disturbed by the discrepancy ST p2sti9n be-
tween the gepgraphiea North, Role and the magnetic
North Pole
This chart of the magnetic lines flowing to the mag
netic North Pole although 1t was far from complete
such to enable the navigator to tell in what direction
the compass should point from any spot in the Arctic
With this knowledge the eFratie behavior of the
pass becomes orderly and It Is once again useful nstru
ment
third type Of compass used was device of nAnlte
senstveness-a revolving electrical coil, which Is adj
justed to given relation with the magnetism of the
earth. This, the sun compass, and the magnetic com
pass were each used to correct the other
Lieutenant Byrd in his flight used quick methed Of
telling when he actually at the Pole, This was the
invention worked out by Mr. Littlehales, the U, s.
Navy photographic engineer. 1t shows the suns posi-
ton from the North Pole at every hour of the day
every day of the year. When the flyer is the Pole
he can by ascertaining the position of the sum-
prove that lie is near the Pole
Flies 5000 Miles Over Arctic.
The expedition, backed by such John D.
Rockefeller, Jr and Theodore Roosevelt IT., had three
main objects.