Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-19
'BYRD'S DOGS SET
HAULING RECORD
Build Polar Shedding Epoch
With Two 16-MiIe Trips
Daily.
Continued From First Page.)

tCOntIlueu FROM F1rSJ Page.)
loads of / 200 to 1900 pounds hauled by
nine-dog teams at good trotting pace
the whole distance of miles.
Sverdrup found that six dogs easily
90 miles day for many days, and Sir
Ernest Shackleton learned that IA dogs
would haul / ton.
1t Is also worthy of consideration that
Comdr. Byrd's dogs have not been
worked too severely and that at the
present time 10 of the 81 dogs are in
harness.
Occasionally one is taken out for a
rest or because it has been injured In a
fight and replaced by another. so that
it may be said that almost the entire
group has been at work.
Two Houses Erected.
Yesterday the record was made of 8
tons hauled to the base.
This achievement has been the more
remarkable because everything else has
gone on at the same time Two houses
have ben erected at the base. material
has been checked and stacked. the air.
plane has been assembled and flown,
radio work both in connection with the
base and the plane has gone ahead and
Ccmdr. Byrd has been enabled to do
tremendous amount of correspond
ence, plan rations for Journeys. correct
compasses and do some preliminary
navigational work.
All this has been a cause of intense
qualification to COmdr. Byrd and the
other members of his expedition, be-
cause it has been proved that the
* tAI
and that the various divisions of the
expedition are able to function as had
been planned This feeling arisee from
a full knowledge Of the difficulty of
proper preparation and the risks which
accompany any deficiency.
Ammdsen forgot snow shovels. Some
things have been forgotten on this ex-
petition. but nothing for which sub
stitute could not be found or which
can be replaced by some expert work.
man.
Preparations Win Success.
Expeditions are won by preparation
and the dogs are a good example OF
this If dependence had been placed
on Amundsen's success in getting inland
so far by the middle of January and
sufficient dogs had not been brought to
dc the heavy freight sledging, the work
of the expedition would have been
stopped and its success jeopardized
The commander of polar expedition
stakes everything on his preparation.
In this case Conldr. Byrd is risking his
entire career. His reputation not only
as an explorer. but also as navigator
and his fortune in one of the most haZ-
ardous undertakings ever attempted in
Antartica.
There has been time after time when
success might have been jeopardi2ed by
a mishap. There was the long tow
down to the pack ice from New Zealand
which, If not undertaken might not
have enabled us to reach the whalel
Larson in time to be towed through
This saved us coal SO that full supply
for every purpose seems now to be as
sured.
Pack Ice Heaviest.
The whalers report the pack ice the
heaviest they have ever known at this
time of year and 1t is certain that the
City of New York could not have
reached here for some time II the pack
had been bucked without assistance.
There was danger to the Eleanor
Boiling, a steel ship, in pushing ahead
through the ice-filled waters in the
fog. and danger to her from the pack
which caused the delay In her recent
sailing from New Zealand.
There were also navigational difficult
ties In region full of erratic magnetic
phenomena, difficulties overcome by the
use of many aids. including the radio.
And then came this present phase OF
freighting across the ice made possible
only by the preparations and the loyalty
of a diversified crew Then there are
risks to the personnel on which sc
much depends.
Constant Watch Kept.
Dog drivers, for instance never leave
either the ship or the base without be-
ing reported by radio to the other enc
of the trial and a constant lookout /:
maintained.
The watch is kept from the crows
nest of the ship. The number OF mer
who leave with each party, their load
the number of dogs and every item OF
information about them. all this is con-
stantly recorded. SO that it would be i'm
possible to go astray without being re.
ported in a short time. Any Of these
things going wrong might spell disaster
If not to the expedition. at least to the
leader of it, Comdr. Byrd has built up q
reputation as navigator Of aircraft
but he is now flying in region where
such a reputation might easily be
ruined by an improper understanding
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