Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-13
BY RUSSELL OWEN.

LITTLE AMERICA, Antarctic, De-
cember IA review of the explora
ton work already done by airplane has
convinced Comdr. Byrd that the pur-
pose of the expedition has been ac-
compliShed.
The flights planned before the ex-
petition left home have been carried
out, although the eastern flying activi-
ties were shifted, after the preliminary
flights of last year. more to the north
than had been anticipated because the
importance of work in that direction
was shown by the suggestion of land
seen there on the first flight to King
Edward Land.
Storm Blocks Biologists.
Meantime the geological party led
by Dr. Lawrence Gould is completing
its work in the Queen Maud Mountains.
A message from DR.. Gould reads:
Back down glacier to Camp Strom
last night and Stormbound all day.
will make another attempt to 10
cate your cache before we start east.
With your last instructions We hope to
find it.
"This is first day since we left Little
America that we have had to lose on
account of weather"
Comdr. Byrd and his party have
found thot King Edward Land and
adjacent territory are more prolific in
important discoveries than the inland
flights from the trail between Little
America and the Queen Maud Range.
Covers 10000 Square Miles.
Comdr. Byrd feels that the eXplora-
ton flights have been more than he an
ticipated because of the extent of the
new land discovered to the northeast.
In all it is estimated that 100000 square
miles have been photographed with the
mapping camera, or an area equal TO
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire,
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecti-
cut, New York, New Jersey, Delaware,
Maryland and half of Virginia.
On the polar flight alone, an area as
large as kansas was photographed by
the mapping camera. The flights would
have been curtailed now even though
the proposed work had not been COM
pleted because of the change in the
weather.
It has been found that in the Antarc-
tic, as in the Arctic, the best time for
flying is in the Spring or early Summer.
Since the eastern flight the sky has
been free of clouds for only brief inter-
walls. with the warmer weather has
come fog and quick changes in the
wind direction aloft which mix up the
atmosphere and make an overcast sky
so that flying would be like flying lin
a bucket of milk
Photography Is Impossible.
Under these conditions any accurate
observations and photographs would
not only be impossible but there would
be great danger of crashing in a thick
atmosphere where neither the horizon
nor the snow could be seen,
Comdr. Byrd outlined the program OF
flying in New York. He intended to
fy to the Pole, making two or three
flights to the west inland and also one
to the east.
The day after the eastern flight, ali
that area was barred by clouds and
apparently the conditions which headed
off Comdr. Byrd last year have come to
stay. So outside of a possible flight to
the eastward from a point on the
Southern trail about $50 miles from
camp and a short exploration flight
southeast from Little America, it seems
as though the work in the air was
not only incomplete but could not be
continued to any extent.
When Comdr. Byrd first outlined the
program of flying in New York, he in
tended to fly to the east inland and also
fly to the northeast past King Edward
Land. The polar flight has been &C
complished and the occasional messages
from home which indicate that people
think it may be repeated, shows how
little the flying hazards of this country
have been appreciated, possibly be-
cause of the skill with which the flights
have been carried out.
Barely Beat Storm to Camp.
The polar flight was made at time
when for period of several days there
was clear weather at the mountains and
as it was the plane reached camp just
before a storm, which chased it all The
WY from the plateau.
Since then, the geological party has
reported snowstormS, clouds and vari-
able winds which would have made the
dangerous flight throughout the noun
tainS impossible as well as barren Of
Sclent1f1c results.
On this flight it was necessary IL
wait patiently for good weather and tt
take immediate advantage of it wher
1t came. The opportunity might moi
come more than once or twice in 9
whole year so that good fortune hac
to play its part. The eastern flights
between Little America and the Queen
Maud Mountains were found on the
polar base laying flights to be of less
Importance than flight past King Ed
ward Land.
Limits of the Barrier to the east In
the region seems to extend as far as
the eye can see, about 100 miles. A
| short flight to east along the Queen
Maud Range was made on the return
from the Pole and a new conception
| OF Carmen Land was gained. The re-
suits OF these two flights and the tan
talizing flight of last year to the north
east when Comdr. Byrd was so sure
he saw mountain beyond King Ed
ward Land indicates that the next
flight should be made in that direction
Any one familiar with the polar regions
knows that when the sun gets higher
and the season advances toward Mid