Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-07-05

the reason. 1t is likely. too. that he
may establish supply depots and food
caches on the route before his final
start to the Pole, for in view of the
greatest present record of nonstop
flight there is no plane which could
be trusted for a round trip exceeding
5000 miles. without replenishing. Ac-
cording to present plans, Comdr. Byrd
will be accompanied by Lieut.. Floyd
Bennett, who was his pilot to the
North Pole, and by Mr.. Balchen, who
flew with him last week to France.
y X
It will be recalled that the month
of May, 1926, not only marked Comdr,
Byrd's airplane flight to the North
Pole, but also a flight in the giant
airshfp Norge across the Pole and
over the vast UNEMPLOYED terra incog-
nlta with an area equal to all the
United States east of the Mississippi
River by Capt. Road Amundsen, the
Norwegian flying an Italian dirigible
balloon. 1t was this same Capt.
Amundsen who has the honor of be.
Ing the first discoverer of the South
Pole, in 1911-12. 1t was the same
Amundsen who first succeeded in drift.
ing eastward across the top of the
world, being frozen in the Arctic ice
and making the Northeastward Pas.
sage from Alaska to Asia, 191S.19aO.
Amundsen's trip to the South Pole
In 1911-12 was made with dogs and
q power sled-the sled proving Of no
practical value, owing to the steep
mountains to be climbed. The Pole
was found located in a great level
pam OF Ice and snow, where the ther-
mometer registered only Is degrees
ale
feet above sea level.
a tragedy of the discovery of the
south Pole lay in the fatal expedition
oy the British officer. Capt. Robert FaI.
con Scott, who reached the Pole Jan.
iafy ~, 1912, which Amundsen had
Iouhd on the previous December Ia.
but Scott and his four companiops
uled In camp on the way back 10
thelr ship. Thus the South Pole was
twice within six weeks. after
centuries of efforts. and both Poles
were discovered within three wears.
But only Byrd has ever reached either
Pole by airplane.
or what value to mankind IA ~ 20
explore the frozen regions of the Arc.
TIC ana Antarctic? Great deposits NJ
todi nave been discovered in both cold
regions, showing that they were once
temperate enough to grow forests. THE
location makes it impossible to tranS.
port the coal to civilization, hence n
appears of no value, until ultimstelv
the plan is developed of burning coal
~ its source and creating electricity
"hlch VIII transport itself over wire.
or perhaps some day may create radio
49, Vi yaiue Tor power. heat and
light' available wherever tuned i'm
oy receiving instruments. Other min
,rai deposits may be found, of great
value. The magnetic currents and the
ocean currents cannot be studied 70
best advantage until science can round
up all the possible facts affecting
them. Ichthyology is concerned in
fishes and their food, hence it is i'm
portant to know more than we now
10 Know about the resources Of plank.
ION, the mlcroscopically small food
floating mainly in Arctic and Antarc.
nc oceans on which certain species of
ish depend for food. These fish are
food for other species, which in turn
ire human food.
Meteorology requires greater knowI.
edge of the air conditions and Of winds
N the North and South, for those cur.
rents create other currents and storms
LOT the rest or the world.
a mere jaunt to the Pole will not
add greatly to meteorological facts.
out every little helps throw light on
what is known and clears the way
or added facilities for observation.
Vow that aviation has come, meteor.
'logists are hoping to be able to OBJ
serve vertical cross-sections of the at
nosphere. so that they may not only
)iat the trade winds on the surface.
lue to the heating and rise of tropi.
al air which overfiows the cold strata
hove, and flows south and north, re.
urning, cooled. along the surface ms
rade winds. but the queries az to
What are the conditions at interme-
late attitudes will be answered.
In the final analysis, the very fact
hat so large part of our globe has
ever been seen by civilized man Is
lone sufficient to excite curiosity as
0 what is hidden behind the aurora
orealises.