Evening star., 1928-05-27

the ways of the Arctic.
wilkins Offers His Aid.
Capt. George H. wilkins and Lieut..
Carl B. Eielson. who drove an airplane
from Alaska to Spitzbergen a few
weeks ago. offered to again survey the
Northern wastes from the air.
Capt Hjalmar Riser Larsen, Nor
vegian ace and second in command on
the Norge, accepted a commission from
his government TO examine the posi-
! biltties OF airplane rescue work with all
possible dispatch.
The Norwegian government itself,
acting on an urgent appeal for aid from
! the Italian minister at Oslo. ordered a
noted ice-breaking ship to sail tomor-
row for the North.
Russian Soviet agencies along the
Arctic, from the Norwegian border TO
the eastern reaches of Siberia, have been
told by their government to be on the
lookout.
Fear Siberian Doom.
The possibility that the big airship
may have been wind driven toward the
Siberian coast called for this Russian
activity. but that possibility also was
viewed by Gen. Mobiles fellow explorers
as almost doom They doubted If any
rescue ship or airplane could ever reach
the Italia in those regions,
Comdr. Richard Z. Byrd. U. s. N,
who first saw the North Pole from the
air. thought that forced march
through the Arctic wastes would be be-
yond the powers of the Mobile expedi-
tion. In this opinion he was joined by
Lieut.. EielSon
The possibility that the Italia may
II, sNl 80 20 Iva
side was seriously considered at her
northern base in Kings Bay
On the other side of the picture is a
hope that the dirigible may have won
anchorage in the lee of friendly is
land or mountain, and that her lack Of
reports by radio is due to a breakdown
In wireless and not to major disaster
BY the Associated Press
KINGS BAY. Spitxbergen. May 90
Gen. Umherto Mobiles Polar dirigiele.
the Italia. was Still lost in the fog over
an ice jammed sea somewhere north Of
Spit2bergen at GAS O'Clock tonight.
Lack of any word from the airShip'S
radio has left the crew of the mother
ship. the Citta di Milano. deeply per-
picked as To the fate Of their leader
and his lo companions.
Praying for weather conditions that
would permit the Citta di Milano. q
former icebgeaker. to so III search OF
the air explorers, the crew hurried
preparations for the rescue expedition
Soldiers from an Italian land regiment.
trained in Alpine maneuverS. went
aboard the steamer this afternoon with
skis and other equipment fitting them
for Arctic travel on land for over ice
and snow.
The ships commander asked the local
coal company here 10 assist the crew
In filling the vessels bunkerS rapidly,
When the Citta Ill Milano goes north
to search for the missing dirigible she
will take with her q Norwegian fishing
boat for use IN navigating among the
Ice foes
May he Anchored In Gale.
Discussion of the fate OF the Italia
included talk OF the possibility that she
may have gotten her ice anchor fast
somewhere In the lee OF the northern
or northeast coast of this archipelago
SO as TO ride out the violent gale which
is believed 10 have been the chief cause
Of her failure 10 return To Kings hay,
Observers who advanced this as a
possibility acknowledged that the
chances OF its being true were extremely
aiCIlNVl, lllSN ltAhaluVN tllN NkAAlNAi
that II the Italia has made descent,
she probably Is at Northeast Land or
on the east coast of west Spit1hergen
At 10 pm Thursday the airshipS
course was iAi. degrees east, This
headed her toward Hintopen strait, the
passage between the main island Of
Spltxbergen and Northeast Land. That
strait, however, probably would net he
navigahle for the Citta hi Mtlano since
1t undoubtedly Is at least partly nlled
with Ice.
There was some talk here. too, OF the
possibility of getting Capt. deorge ii.
wilkins and Lieut.. Carl h, Ellison 10
Kings Hay with the airplane IN which
they flew recently from Alaska acroSs
the top of the world, 1t was said that
observers IN an airplane would be able
To distinguish the gray body et the
iirlglhle against the white SNOW and
Ice fleldS,
May ilave hit Mountain.
Another suggestion advanced today
Was that the italia may have collided
with n mountain hidden III the mist,
She was headed toward Newton Mounv
tain, a.a00 feet high, near hintepen
strait
Most of the discussion ON the citta d.