Evening star., 1938-04-23
ANTARCTIC HELD
PROPERTY Of J.. S.
Scientists Are Told Britain
Suppressed Discovery by
American in 1922.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
PHILADELPHIA, Pa, April 23.-
The entire Antarctic continent, In
cludins the South Pole. was claimed
today for the United States by right
Of discovery in . report before the
American Philosophical Society by
DR.. william H. Hobbs Of the Uni
versity Of Michigan.
Speaking In the shadow Of Inde-
pendence Hall where representatives
OF the American colonies signed the
Declaration Of Independence, DR..
Hobbs declared that the first map of
the Antarctic. made by . New England
sea captain. was deliberately sup
pressed by the English government in
1922 and q new one issued to give
England priority In the discovery.
The first discovery Of the CONT
nent was made by Capt. Nathaniel
Brown Palmer, who served as COM
mander OF an American vessel in the
War Of 1912 Is 4 youth of ls. Dr.
Hobbs said.
Sailed With British.
In 1920 he sailed on Q seal-huntins
expedition to the South Polar Seas In
ship little larger than the Nfeboats
OF modern super-liners. He landed
on the Antarctic continent, sailed
along It's coast to map it and later
discovered also the South Shetland
Islands. he added.
During the following year he aeain
coasted the polar seas and oo-opersted
with = Capt. Powell Of the British
Navy IN. charting other areas DR.
Hobbs declared. The original map of
CAPT. Palmer, on which Antarctica
was designated as "Palmers Land"
was suppressed by English authorities
he added. with most Of the name. Of
bays. inlets and prominences changed
and Antarctica renamed Trinity
Land"
These facts can be proved. the
Michigan University geographer de-
clared, from maps. log books and
other records which he found In IL
braries OF the United States and for.
eign countries and In the British ad.
miralty ONCE
May Not Be Used.
Whether the proof of priority in
discovery will ever prove useful is i'm
possible to determine, members of the
Philosophical Society said. They
pointed out, however, that the United
States had never asserted its rights
OF discovery Of Canton Island in the
South Pacific until 1t recently became
useful As an air base on the trade
route to New Zealand and Australia,
Atom Smashing on Sun.
Terrific and continuous atom.
smashing in the sun and its atmo-
sphere extending millions Of miles into
space WAS described today by DR.. 8.
A. Mitchell Of the University Of Vir-
ginia as the cause Of sunspot effects
on the earth.
Delivering the annual Penrose me-
mortal lecture before the American
Philosophical Society At its general
meeting. Dr.. Mitchell declared eclipse
observations show that massive hur-
ricanes Of elements In the gaseous
state explode outward from the sun
IN the region OF sunspots and escape
from the suns atmosphere.
DR.. Mitchell was the scientific lead.
er OF the American eclipse expedition
last June to Canton Island in the
South Pacific ocean, small coral
atoll recently claimed by the United
States As an Air base.
The atoms which make up these
elements are shot outward from the
surface OF the sun and rs they ascend
they lose an electron from their other
structure, he explained, thus becoming
ionized.
Cause Magnetic Disturbances.
Many Of them are then attracted
oack into the sun in the vicinity Of
the giant hurricane sunspots and gain
back An electron, thus becoming neu-
tral in electrical charge, DR.. Mitchell
said.
Others. however, apparently fly of
into space and continue moving until
attracted by the magnetism Of an
other planet.
When this occurs, billions of such
particles Of matter strike the outer
magnetic field Of the earth and set
1t into violent disturbance. As 4 result
radio. telephone and telegraph com.
munications, which depend on the
stability Of this magnetic force, 20
into violent upsets. Magnetic CON-
passes also swing far away from true
north. and brilliant displays of the
Aurora Borealis or Northern Liehts.
which is visible evidence Of the shoot
Ing particles from the sun, occur.
80 New Member Picked.
PHILADELPHIA, April ~ (P.-
The Philosophical Society, Oldest SCI
entific Institution in the TJnitAd afs<>.