Evening star., 1939-07-30
Unknown Antarctic Resources
Lure Latest Byrd Expedition
America Expected to Evolve Sovereignty Policy
Laying Claim to Mysterious, Icy Wastes
byPossbe Colonization
BY Joseph II. Baird.

tinent, the United States Government Is
sending another expedition to gather
facts about this little-known land. These
data will provide the basis for future
American claims at the southern tip of
the earth.
Contrary to popular opinion, the United
States Government, officially, has never
claimed one square foot of soil in the
frozen wastes of the Antarctic. True,
the American flag has been planted there
by host of intrepid explorers from the
time of Wilkes to that of Lincoln Ellis
worth, Admiral Richard E. Byrd and
other present-day Americans. But these
claims have no official status. They were
merely gestures of patriotism-and MOTH
ing more.
But, while making no claims itself, the
American Government does not recognize
the validity of claims made by other
nations. From Washingtons viewpoint,
the 200 900 square miles in the Antarctic
Circle is still virgin territory, open to
exploration by any country whose hardy
nationals will establish permanent COL
ony there. The reasons for this attitude
will be discussed later.
Fleet Of Three Ships.
First, few brief facts about the pres
ent expedition: Congress has appropri-
ated $4,000 to send group of Ameri-
can scientists to the Antarctic. Com
manded by the veteran Antarctic ex-
plorer, Admiral Byrd, they will sail from
Boston in mid-October in three ships
the North Star, the Northland and the
Bear Of Oakland. The first two are Gov
ernment ships. while the Bear of Oak
land, previous visitor to Antarctic seas,
is the personal property of Admiral Byrd
being leased on "dollar-a-year" basis
to the expedition.
Reaching the Antarctic in -Decem-
ber, the expedition plans to establish
three bases-one at Little America, >"
Admiral Byrd's former base; one near
Palmer Land, and third midway be-
tween the two in what is unexplored ter
ritory. Then. in early spring, after the
long Antarctic night has passed. field
expeditions will set out with sleds and
dog-teams to explore the frozen hinter-
land, to map unknown territory and to
gain better idea of the mineral and
animal resources of the region.
Some 1S0 men will sail on the three
ships assigned to the expedition, and
Of them about go will remain in the
three camps to be established. Thee
camps will be provided with sufficient
food to last two years-for, although
the three supply ships will make a re-
turn journey to the Antarctic in 1910,
there is a possibility that they may not
be able to penetrate the shifting and
unpredictable ice barrier Hence the
expedition must be prepared to subsist
for two years.
May Become Permanent.
1t is quite possible that Americas out
post in the frozen Antarctic wastes may
become a permanent one. Whether or
not it does will repend upon the findings
of the scientists as to the possible value
of the Antarctic regions as a future
source of coal and mineral supplies, as
fisheries and as an observation post
for meteorological predictions. The de-
cision as to whether the colony is to
be maintained will rest with Congress
from year to year.
Meanwhile, the purpose of the expedi-
ton and future policy of the American
Government in the Antarctic can best
be understood against the historical
background of the White Races ex-
plorations in the frozen seas of the
South.
Capt Cook, the intrepid British ex-
plorer, whose name is popularity asso-
ciated with Tahiti, was presumably the
first white man to set eyes on the Ant
arctic continent. In 1773, he reported
in his diary, he skirted the frozen coast
of the couthern polar wastes. He was
followed in 1919 by Capt. Smith, in 1922
by Capt. Morrell and in 1888 by the first
American to visit the region, Admiral
Wilkes
Authorized by Congress to survey un-
known lands. Admiral Wilkes sailed from
the United States in 1888 with flotilla
of five ships-the men of war Vincennes
ana Peacock, the schooners Sea Gull and
Flying Fish and the supply ship Por-
poise. In turn he visited Rio de Janeiro,
Chile, Tahiti, New Zealand, the Fiji Is
lands, the Polynesian group, the Ant
arctic and the northwest coast of the
United States.
During the 10th century great num-
ber of European and American explorers
visited the Antarctic, but real scientific
investigation of this httle-known land
really began in the present century.
Amundsen First at Pole.
First to reach the Pole was Roald
Amundsen, Norwegian, who claimed
the south polar plateau on behalf of
King Haakon in 1911. Just IS days later
Capt Robert F. Scott, Britisher, un-
furled the Union Jack only half mile
from the point where Amundsen had To-
Gated the southern tip of the earth.
Scott and his party died in the frozen
polar wastes. but he left behind mes
sage which is one of the most dramatic
in English history. Beside his corpse, Sir
Douglas Mawson, who came upon Scott s
camp a few months after his death.
found this last entry in the explorers
diary:
II do not regret this journey, which
has shown that Englishmen can endure
hardships, help one another and meet
death with as great fortitude as ever in
the past"
Sir Douglas, incidentally, was the first
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