Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-02-23
BYRD FIND CALLED
magnificent FEAT.
Hope of Locating Mountains
Rich in Minerals Voiced by
Sir Douglas MaWson.
BY FERDINAND KUHN.

BY FERDINAND KUHN.
BY Wireless to The Star and New York Times
LONDON, February 23.-Comdr. Rich
ard E. Byrd's discovery of a vast new
Antarctic territory for the United States
was hailed as a magnificent achieve
nent last night by Sir Douglas Mawson.
the Australian explorer who will soon
lead an expedition of his own to the
frozen continent.
In an hours talk with the correspond
ent Of The Star and the New York
Times, Sir Douglas said that Comdr.
Byrd might now expect to find active
volcanoes and mountains rich in min
erals Ii he could find a section of rock
not covered by ice. With each success
sive flight into the Antarctic, he said.
Comdr. Byrd would go further toward
solving the mystery of what lies between
the Ross Sea and Graham Land.
He warned, however. that with the
bitter Antarctic Winter coming soon,
Comdr. Byrd would be prudent to rest
on his laurels till next Summer 1t
would be safer, according to Sir Doug
las, not to attempt more long flights
now.
Says Plenty to Do Near Base.
He said It would be dangerous for
Comdr. Byrd and his aviators to make
a forced landing far from the base at
a time when billiards might soon be
raging over the icy wastes. He Sug-
gested that there was plenty for Comdr.
Byrd to do in scientific explorations
near his base.
"Comdr. Byrd is getting on splen-
didly," exclaimed Sir Douglas as he read
the accounts of his latest flight WIRE
lessed from the Bay of Whales. There
is no question that he will be wonder
fully successful. He has got the equip
ment for one thing. He has got an able
group Of scientists with him. Besides,
he is exploring by far the most inter-
esting part of the Antarctic-the smaller
land mass lying between Graham Land
which Capt. Sir Hubert wilkins saw
from his plane, and the Bay OF whales
where Comdr. Byrd has his base.
The larger mass of what is known as
the Antarctic continent Is apparently
an elevated plateau region composed OF
ancient rock formations raised above
the sea by what biologists call block
uplift." This region lies south OF Africa
and Australia and embraces the geo.
graphic pole itself.
Has Seen Coast Land.
ct have seen the coast land OF this
country and explored some distance
inland, but 1t Is not interesting.
THE other section of the continent
that lying south Of Cape Horn and as
far as the Ross Sea, south OF new
Zealand--is of different nature. This
is where Comdr. Byrd Is now nying
Except for the extension south OF Cape
Horn little is known of 1t and there
has been much speculation as to It's
constitution.
One theory holds that It Is a region
of scattered islands joined together and
to the plateau mass Of Antarctica by 9
great ice sheet which extends over lano
and sea alike. The opponents OF this
view hold that sea channel Will be
found to extend under the ice joining
the Weddel Sea with the Ross Sea.
"I do not share that view and flights
which Condr Byrd has been making
tend to confirm my judgment. I be.
lieye that continuous land will be found
under the ice between the Weddel Sea
and the Ross Sea. Biologists have Iona
believed this region to be a "crumpled'
formations region Of mountain ranges
valleys and occasionally volcanoes.
We believe 1t once formed part OF
the Pacific Ocean floor with intercala-
tons and extensions Of igneous, rocks
1t was "crumpled' over the vast ages
OF geological time by the push OF the
Pacific floor against the harder and
older rock mass OF the otner naiI OF
the Antarctic continent.
"All accounts which have come from
Condr. Byrd, coupled with what We al
ready know of this country, bear out
these beliefs Of the biologists. Comdr
Byrd has found the Rockefeller Range
and beyond that more mountains.
LAS he flies farther toward the Wed
| dell Sea he will probably find extinct
and active volcanoes and probably OF
the same type as those In the folded
country right to Graham Land"
Sir Douglas then pointed to q map
OF the Pacific Ocean and the countries
bordering 1t. With q pencil he traced
| line along the Rocky Mountains OF
Mexico and the Andes right to Ant
arctic"
Then, skipping from Graham Land
| to the Ross. Sea, he started tracing
again through mountainous New Zea-
land, New Guinea, the Philippines
Japan, the Kurile Islands and the Aleu-
tian Islands. This he described as the
fire ring" of the Pacific during the
ages while the earth was being formed
"Comdr. Byrd's flights have made II
more likely that Western Antarctica
! from the Weddell Sea to the Ross Sea
is mere continuation of that Pacific
ring" Sir Douglas went on:
80 far We have found that 1t ha:
characteristics in common with the
Andes and the Rockies. Copper and
| gold have been found in the mountains
and II we could penetrate beneath
their Icy sheath we should find still
more.
Volcanoes Already Found.
volcanoes already have been found
and Comdr. Byrd should find more
The Rockefeller Range which Condr
Byrd has just discovered probably cor
responds to the Cascade Mountains and
the Sierra Nevadas in California"
THE higher peaks corresponding to
| the Rockies are further inland. They
| are the ultimate mountains OF all. Capt
Road Amundsen crossed them on his
dash to the Pole and told of seeing
giant peaks OF 10000 feet in the
distance.
"If Comdr. Byrd obtains rock speci-
mems and II he can prove they are
merely a continuation Of the Andes
formations, he will have done great
service to the knowledge of our world. .