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surface and correspondingly *large realms of the unknown* may be brought within the compass of human understanding in a very few years." This statement by the Russians sounds remarkably similar to Admiral Byrd's statements about the trans-Arctic region being "the center of the Great Unknown." Could it be that the Russians know about Admiral Byrd's discovery of "a vast new territory" beyond the Pole? Palmer comments on this Russian statement as follows: "This is truly a stupendous sentence. Contemplate what it actually says. It says that not only exploration, but also ‘research’ have shown that enormous regions of the Earth's surface AND correspondingly (this word is significant) large realms of the UNKNOWN may be brought within the compass of UNDERSTANDING of human beings in a very few years. In plain words, in addition to areas we can understand and investigate by exploration, there are large realms which have to be brought to human understanding by means of research. "Yes, large UNKNOWN and even BEYOND PRESENT UNDERSTANDABILITY areas do exist, and it * MAY BE' that we will discover and comprehend them in a very Oa... eee Te ete eee ee et 2 ee ne ee few years. In plain words, in addition to areas we can understand and investigate by exploration, there are large realms which have to be brought to human understanding by means of research. "In the next few sentences (of the Russians) we find that there is much ‘prospect for development’ in a Polar Basin which, by present concepts, is nothing but frozen ocean. What is it that is such a great prospect for development? Ice cubes for our tea? No, there must be very much more interesting possibilities, the kind of possibilities that entail large land masses of an unknown area yet to be explored and developed." Palmer quotes the Russians as saying: "As recently as 30 years ago more than half the total area of the Polar Basin was unexplored, and 16 per cent was still terra incognita only 15 years ago. Today, disappointing as this may be to young geographers, the area of blank spots on the map of the Polar Basin has shrunk to almost nothing. At the same time, to the regret of the older explorers and the understandable pleasure of the younger ones, there are still blank spots elsewhere in the Arctic. The ocean, the air and the ionosphere still hold many mysteries." Palmer comments on this Russian statement: "We learn that the blank spots on the map of the Polar Basin have shrunk to almost nothing. In the next breath we find that there are still blank spots ELSEWHERE in the Arctic. Where else? The ocean, the air and the ionosphere, they say, still hold many mysteries. Particularly the ocean, in the UNKNOWN extent of which exist vast land masses so far not only beyond our ability to place on our maps, but beyond our ability to ee noe ee understand. "We might say all this is double talk. We might also say secrets are being kept.