Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-17
WEATHER FINDINGS
PLEASE ADM. BYRD
Meteorological Observations
at "Home OF Blizzard"
Prove Valuable.

Among the major contributions to
science Rear Admiral Richard e. Byrd
expects from his Antarctic expedition
are those relating to meteorological OBJ
servations, the explorer indicates IN Q
radio message to the National Geo
graphic Society.
The vast continent, which Ia "the
home of the billiards." long has been
regarded as q weather breeder" for
continental and island areas Ia the
Southern Hemisphere, including South
ern South America, South Africa, Aus.
tralia ar,S sew Zealand. But 1t hitherto
has 5Sen the worlds, weather blind
spot" from lack of any sustained ohser-
vations Of its temperatures, baro1netfic
pressures, study of its land-level and
altitude air currents, and similar data
which are the raw materials Of weather
prediction.
Radios DR.. La Gcrce.
Rear Admiral Byrd's message, trans
mitted through the New York Times
radio station, is addressed 70 DR.. John
Oliver La Gorce, vice president Of the
National Geographic Society, since It
was for DR.. La Gorce that Byrd named
the expeditions meteorological station.
The explorer tells how the stations OBJ
servations were used in determining the
time of flights and also the methods BY
which he has been collecting meteoro-
logical data for permanent scientific
records. The message, dated January .,
says:
$50 great has been the contribution
Of the La .Gorce meteorological station
to the success Of our flights Of exrlcra-
ton that feel 1t my duty IS well rs
my pleasure to report the facts.
I'VE dug our airplanes from under the
snow in the Spring IS soon Is the
temperatures would permit. Shortly
thereafter, on November 10, our weather
men, Haines and Harrison, reported TO
me that they thought the weather was
suitable for the base laying flight. They
made this prediction without any re-
ports from the trail party.
we left Immediately and had sun
shine for the 440 miles to the noun
taii1s. The visibility Is generally SO bad
here that without sunshine We prob
| ably could not have landed successfully
to lay down our base.
Photographed 5o,oe0 Square Miles.
"A few days later, November 2s.
Haines reported the weather favorable
| for the South Pole fight and that it
| was possible we would not again get
| another day Of such suitable weather.
| We left at once for the flight and had
sunshine for practically the whole Of
the 1000 miles. On December 5 the
weather men reported that conditions
were favorable for flight to the east
ward. We left at once and had good
visibility all the way, which enabled US
TO photograph more than $4,000 square
miles of unknown area. ~
with bad visibility flights In Ant,
artica are largely profitless.
1T Is, in my opinion. remarkable that
the weather predictions have been made
kA1w wx4kfA AAu g. a.
1 available. Subsequent weather has EN-
phasized the notability of the predic-
tons.
I'm order to make one or two addi-
| tional exploration flights we have watch.
| ed the weather closely since our last
flight. "a days ago, but there has not
been one suitable day.
80 it is clear that the contribution of
the meteorological section TO the success
of our flights of exploration has been
very great indeed.
Praises Haines and Harrison.
"Haines and Harrison have also made.
| valuable scientific records. They have
made surface observations every hour,
day and night, over q period of Is
: months. In the upper air they have
made 400 pilot balloon runs to obtain
the velocity and direction Of wind ct
| various levels. Many Of these balloons
have given wind data as high as 10000
| feet. Upper air humidity, pressure and
| temperature have been obtained by kite
or airplane on 40 days over period Of
| three months
II am glad to. be able TO report to
you the splendid work done by your
| Representatives"
"(Signed) RICHARD E. BYRD"
The technical men referred to In
Rear Admiral Byrd,s radio message are
| William @. Hines, ineteoroloeist whose
| salary is being betrayed by the National
| Geographic Society, which also allotted
| q $4,000 fund to the Byrd expedition,
and Henry T. Harrison, jr, whose sal
airy Is being paid by the Guggenhsim
| Fund.
Society Increases Grant.
The National Geographic Society
contributed SIS, 900 toward the scientific
work Of the Byrd expedition before its
departure, and on November % last DR..
Gilbert Grosvenor, president Of the so.
ciety. radioed Byrd: "Our trustees and
research committee have voted to double
| the society's original grant; therefore
| award an additional $25, 000, available
when desired"
The entire amount Of the National
| Geographic Society's contribution Is
being used In various phases Of the
scientific work being carried on by the
expedition.
| MkYnP lEAnc WDNINIA