The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-04-26
by Balloon to tho Pole.

Commander Cheync of the British
Royal navy is making efforts to get up
an expedition to reach the north pole by
means Of balloons. lie Is an expert
enccd Arctic navigator. having served
under Sir james Ross, ana has secured
the services of Capt. Templar, we'll
known acronaut. Commander Cheync
believes that the gulf stream sweeps
around the polar basin, and returns by
the north and east of Greenland rs n
great body of cold water. He proposes
10 utilize this current in the following
manner: rhe ship would proceed up
Davis's strait and Batlln's bay; then
turning to the west. would steam up
Lancaster sound AND Queens channel
to the farthcst explored point. She
would next take a n0rthwestcrly direc
tion until the set of the current was
felt, when her course would be altered
due north, In any ease she would push
on through every available opening in
the Ice until her advance was definitely
arrested by the advent of winter. In
addition to the usual equipment Of
slcdgcs, etc, the vessel would carry
several balloons, each one capable OF
lifting about a ton weight in addition
to the mon. When the ship becomes
set In the pack, three balloons would be
inflated and Joined together by means
OF three light spars GO fcot long. Thus
triangle would be formed, with ba-
loon ut each angle. The whole to-
gethcr representing a lifting power of
about three tons. This power would
be employed in carrying the boat-cars,
sledgcs, provisions, tents, ballast, etc.
Commander Chcyuc proposes during
the winter to establish two observa-
tories about 3G miles apart, with the
ship rs a centre, so that by the END OF
May the balloons may start upon
curve already asccrtaincd with tolcra-
bic accuracy. BY NiiS means, the dis.
tance OF the vessel from the pole, and
the course to be followed being known,
the travellers would be enabled to drop
within 10 or 20 miles Of their desli-
nation. Wire trail-ropcs would be
used for preserving an equal altitude
above the ice. When 1t was necessary
to decend the gas would be preserved by
rccomprcssing it by mechanical means
into the receivers, there to he held i'm
readiness for future use. If the journey
should have been successful and the
wind favorable, the return trip would
at oncc be made. the balloons being ar
rested on the parallel Of latitude upon
which the ship was left icc-blocked,
The commanding officer in charge
would send out slcdgc parties daily to
meet the balloons, and give whatever
assistance might be required. On the
breaking up of the Ice the ship would
leave for winter quarters, and push
around tho northern extremity of
Greenland. n second winter would
here be passed, the time being spent in
making survey or the coast and other
scientific observations. During the fol-
lowing summer, aided by the natural
drift of the ice, the vessel would steam
through every opening, and return
home between the continent Of Groen-
land and Spitzbergen. Should no fu-
vorablc wind arise, however, to carry
him back from the pole to his ship,
Commander Chcync intends conlnll-
ing his aerial journey, and trust to
good fortune to drop in Russia whcr-
ever inhabitants are to be seen.