Evening star., 1928-06-11

Milano to be making his way TODAY
toward land from the pack ice off
Northeast Land.
By the Associated Press
KINGS BAY. Spitzbergen. June IL
sac after a perilous landing on the
Arctic Sea in the partially wrecked
oir1gible Italia, the crew Of the Mobile
North Pole airship was stiH in gravest
danger today as expeditions by land.
air and sea got under way to bring
them out Of the frozen wastes north of
Spitzbergen as speedily as possible.
speed was the watchword Of the res
cuers, for every moment lost meant an
increase In the danger that the 13 men
OF the dirigible. adrift cn breaking ice
foes, might be carried into more in
accessible regions or into the open sea.
Divided into two parties and carry
ing two Of their number, who were
injured when the airship came down
upon the ice after the gondoIa had
snapped of, the men Of the Italia to-
Gay were slowly seeking TO reach North
east Land, the nearest body of land to
the point at which the CirjgibIe came
down after her brilliant voyage 70 the
North Pole more than two weeks ago.
Fear Open Water.
While a great tide of hope and re-
lief had surged through the crew Of
week. when radio contact with the
long-missing Italia was established,
there were fears today for the safety
CT the men cut on from land by the
open water leads and ice foes along
Northeast Land.
Day and night the Citta di dilano
has been straining every nerve for the
Italia's signals. The Italla'S radio sta
ton has been growing weaker and Is
sending only short reports. It Is not
believed that this Is an indication that
its radio apparatus Is failing. but that
the Italia's operator Is saving the en-
ergy In the accsinulator. which prob
ably win be SUFFICIENT only for a few
days more.
fnasmuch ~ the italia carried food
provisions for at ieas- siz weeks, the
base crew has no fears FOR the present
regarding the food question, but def
nitely fears that the drifting ice foes
upon which the men are stranded viii
drift into the open sea. The point
at which the Italia came down Is OF
Cape Leigh Smith, the most eastern
extremity of Northeast Land, and it IS
feared that the current viii send the
ice southwark between Northeast Land
and Franz Josef Land.
One Party Has Radio.
In that case. II the rescue parties do
not arrive Immediately, the ice win be
carried toward the King Charles Island,
south Of Northeast Land, or even viii be
carried into Barents Sea. which is now
open. Barents Sea lies within the pack
open.
Since Friday the Italia's crew has
drifted about mile and a half TO the
east, being last reported at 28.4 east
longitude This would place the crew
just OF the tip of Cape Leigh Smith
Fear for the party which is without
radio and which Is sometimes carried
out OF sight of the other group is par
ticularly strong. as it would be exceed
ingly difficult to locate 1t should they
become definitely separated from the
group with the wireless.
After having been assured that the
position of the Italia was definitely as
tanned. the Soviet Mobile Rescue Com
mission issued orders to send powerful
icebreaker North Immediately In an ef-
fort to reach the stranded men.
Conserve Radio Energy.
Believing that a short wave would
work better over long distance, the
Citta di Milano yesterday requested
Rome to send the Italia a message TO
communicate with the Citta di AIilano
at 4 o'clock in the afternoon. Rome
sent this message and precisely at the
arranged hour the Italia responded.
Earlier In the day the operator
aboard the Citta di Milano asked the
Italia's radio operator TO sand his call
signal. which he did, coupling IL with
best greetings.
On the base ship Cltti di Milano
radio operators stuck to their posts day
and night straining to catch the signals
from the explorers. At 10 o'clock last
night the Italia's radio was growing
weaker. Only short reports were being
received by the base ship. 1t was
thought that the marooned men we're
boarding the energy Of the accumulator.
tCopyriEht. 1927
AAEIfNnCEN M aNsc xRrWn