The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1880-09-11
Arctic BaIIooning.

When, some years ago, the Alert and
Discovery left England, the crowds
which bade the crews goodbye, gave
them hearty cheer and wished them
God-speed. There were those who hoped
they would achieve success, and possi-
bly, plant the Union Jack on the north
pole. But less excitable and more
thoughtful men, who knew what arctic
navigation meant, and what dangers and
difficulties had to be overcome, were less
sanguine. The doubters were right. for,
from some reason or other, the splendid
sailors who went north never came with
in six hundred miles of the magic point,
but, overcome by scurvy, cold, and ia
tigue, returned to say that the project of
reaching the apex of the earth was q
visionary and impossible one. English
men are proverbially difficult to beat and
slow to despair, and it is not to be Won
dered at that at this juncture one of
them, Commander Cheyne, devised .
way Of meeting the difficulty. In his
opinion, navigation by sea and Land hav-
ing failed, there remained but one other
to try, to wit: the air, and under the
patronage of Lord Derby, the idea grew
till yesterday, at the Alexandra palace,
it found its first illustration in an expert
ment which, in point of interest, could
not be easily surpassed. We all know
that the regions near the pole are cold,
whatever the center may be; it is patent
to all, also, that to be left by any acci-
dent in a balloon car helpless on the ice,
midway between ship and destination,
or. indeed, would be, to say the least of
it, somewhat inconvenient, If not posi-
lively unpleasant. Commander Cheyne
foresaw this. and in his scheme included
the idea of three linked ballons, which,
fastened together to strong triangle of
wood, would bear four cars, one at each
point, and one in the centre, so arranged
that should any one balloon break down,
the car dependent on it could be slipped
along the triangle and rest upon the re-
naming globes, still passing along
through the air without inconyen-
ience. Still, trial appeared
necessary, though the principle was ap-
proved, and the experiment was made last
night. 1t must be promised, of course,
that the trial was accomplished under
very different circumstances than the
pole will ever witness. In the first place,
the three linked balloons ascend without
any other incubus than . sand-bag, and,
therefore, caused no risk of life. But
the interest of the undertaking lay in the
fact that larger balloon, to which was
attached car containing Mr.. Coxwell
and some other gentlemen, quilted the
earth Immediately afterward, and showed
what difference was to be expected IN q
ear held up by one balloon and car sup
ported by three. The rouaqenrs were
not laboring, it must be remembered,
under precisely the same conditions
which would hamper Arctic travellers.
They were not boxed up in close
heated carriage, as they must be in the
north Neither were they provisioned
with pemmican and lime juice, but had
the choicest of wines and food winch the
vast cellars and kitchens of Alexandra
palaces could afford. Still, there were
many things Of great interest to be noted,
and they were the following: First, that
the three balloons fastened to the tri-
angle bumped violently together with
great energy very often, and had they
supported cars in the air mustha given
the occupants q very fair idea of what
sea sickness meant. Secondly, that they
took course somewhat different from
that which was marked out by the single
dslleon, and so showed that some allow
ance must be made for this novel mode
of aerial navigation. Thirdly, they
proved that the idea Of triple team in
the air was possible and workable
| one, and that the balloons will not burst
that they viii go along merrily enough
enough without fighting against each
other. and that the Arctic aerial naviga-
tor, with three of them, will be very
much safer than the man who would st
tempt to go with one. Altogether, the
idea of Commander Cheyne was found te
be feasable, and, it is to be hoped, vii
now be carried into practice. AS tn,
rival balloons went aloft, it was cleal
that had three instead of one balloon
| guided the destinies of Mr. Coxwelll
party the ascent would have been as saft
and the result as satisfactory as with th'
single aerial globe And difficult though
it may he to forecast the adventures o
any exhibition In such unknown region;
as these which Immediately envelop th.
north, it is not too much TO say, after th,
last experiment, that new line has beer
struck out and new idea originstet
which raay very possibly end in tn.
i planting of the British flag upon th,
north pole. II London Telegraph.