Evening star., 1928-06-10
Reports Pass Both Ways
Between Stranded Crew
and Kings Bay Base.
RELIEF FLYERS PLACE
HOPES IN ICEBOAT
Norwegian Estimates 90-Mile Hop
Would Take Him to
Northeast Land.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
KINGS BAY, Spitzbergen, June O.
Messages were exchanged In Italian to-
day between the Citta Di Milano. base
ship Of Gen. Umberto Mobiles Polar ex-
pedition, and the wireless operator of
the Italia. the dirigible whose where
abouts had been a mystery from May
Is until yesterday. This is the first
communication both ways since the
whereabouts OF the missing explorers
became known
ANY lingering doubts that the mes
sages actually were coming from the
Italia were dissipated when Giuseppi
Biogi, radioman on the dirigible. signed
off with his individual identification
number.
None of the reports which have come
out OF the ice wastes off Cape Leigh
Smith. Northeastland, has told how the
Italia was damaged or by what means
her crew was saved. but the rescuers
here are less concerned with that than
with conditions which confront them in
reaching the explorers.
Rely on Ice-breaker.
The Italia is ls12 miles north OF the
eastern extremity of Northeastland and
Is about l5l2 miles from Foyn Island.
the nearest land
Capt. RiiSer-Larsen is relying on the
ice-breaker BraganZa to take him and
Lieut.. Luetzowholm, with their Nor
Wegian seaplanes, TO point near enough
the Italia's position to permit flight
with supplies. He figures that If he can
get within about 30 miles he and the
lieutenant can cover the remaining dis
tance in an hour and a half He says
1t will not be difficult to discover the
Italia's men II the weather is reasonably
clear
Atmospheric conditions here were
improving today. and reports from the
North said that breeze from the
east was moving the ice westward and
away from the land II this condi-
ton prevails beyond Northeast Land,
the Italia crew probably will drift daily
closer 10 North Cape. The Braganza
reached that cape the other day. Be-
tween this point and Seven Islands
is an area which can be reached with
out great difficulty.
The Italia party apparently Is drift
ing, for the position given today was
nearer North Cape than that which
was picked up from them yesterday.
The fact that the dirigibies crew could
send any word at ali was encouraging
1t was argued that an almost normal
landing must have been made since
the wireless equipment and other in
struments had been saved A wreck
would have destroyed the instruments
and probably would have killed all the
crew.
Explains Delay.
Decent Hoel, Norwegian Arctic ex-
pert, explains the reason for the de-
layed communication by saying that
the Italia's crew had not attempted an
earlier report because the weather
hitherto had prevented them from
making the necessary observations that
would show where they had landed He
added that some Of the Instruments
might have been damaged and required
repairs before they could be used.
Fayors Boat.
HoeI believes that II will not be pos
sible TO bring back the Italia's men by
either dog sledge or airplane. The in
secure ice among the islands In that
region would prevent the sledges from
crossing to the refugees. and airplanes
would be unable 10 land on weak Ice
foes. He thinks that the best means Of
saving Mobiles men will be by using a
large Ice breaker OF the type which the
Russians are preparing to send toward
Franz josef Land. II would, however
probably be at least fortnight before
any Russian vessel OF this sort could
reach the place where Mobile Is.
Capt. Riiser-L Larsen Is confident that
the chances of rescuing the crew are
good. All he asks Is weather conditions
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