Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-12-27
Margarethe nsorl. Hansen. Liverpool sid DC
Maria (Swl, Adde, Antwerp. sid Nov IA
America (Brl. SanterTe, at MOntevideo Nov g.
Ceres (Nor) Olsen, at Dublin Dec /.
THE POLE BY BALLOON.
Commander Cheyne's Preparations
for the Fitting out of an ExpedI-
lion.
Netr York Sun 22d inst.

Commander Cheyne starts for Mon
treal tomorrow, by invitation of Sir
John Macdonald and Sir Samuel Leon
ard Tilley, to interest the Canadian pub
lie in his scheme for reaching the North
lev is already a member of the LOudon
committee which is getting subscriptions
Commander Cheyne said yesterday:
THE idea is that it shall be an Anglo
American expedition, to be fitted out by
popular subscription. 1t will require
$50, 900 to fit it out and $40, is to be
raised in each country. l shall be in
Canada until January Goth, and in my
absence the interest of the expedition
here will be looked after by Mr. Henry
Walter Grinnell, who will be the Secre-
tary of the committee that is being
gotten up in New York. The Hon.
John Davidson has formed a committee
in Elizabeth, n. J. 1t is my intention
TO form similar committees in the prin-
cipal cities of the country in connection
with my lecturing tour. The ship of
the expedition is to be called the Grinnell,
after Mr. GrinnelPs father, the celebrated
patron of Arctic exploration. Lieut..
Schwatka has arranged to accompany
the expedition, provided he can obtain
the consent of the government The
three balloons, which will cost 500, 900,
will be made in England, and will be
shipped to this country. New York will
be the starting point of the expedition,
and we expect to leave in June next.
We shall go to st. Patrick's bay, where
Capt. Mares found an immense bed of
fine coal lying on the surface. We shall
build a house directly upon the coal.
We shall put up apparatus and manu-
facture hydrogen gas for the balloons.
The place is SIX miles from where Capt.
Mares ship, the Discovery, wintered in
1856, and IS 400 miles from the pole
When we get the right wind, it will
take Us eighteen or twenty-four hours to
reach the pole"
Commander Cheyne says tn the ex-
perience of the Jeanette is only another
confirmation of the fact that it is impOs-
sible TO reach the pole by means Of yes
sells. lie his opinion the region of the
pole is an archipelago bound in solid
ice pack, presenting no opening for navi-
CATION. Each balloon will be provided
with a sledge boat, and provisions for
fifty-One days. and will reel out tele-
graph wire as it travels, keeping in COM
muuicatlon with the main station. If
during the stay of the party at the pole
the gas should escape so as seriously
to impair the levity of the bal
loon the gas of one can be used to
initiate fully the two others. The
balloons will be weighed so as to travel
low, and Commander Cheyne is conf
dent that he can land within ten miles
of the pole. He anticipates no difficulty
from cold during the balloon voyage.
which is to take place in June Of the
summer after the expedition sails. ''The
occupants of the cars, said Mr.. CheyDe,
will have to work with their coats off
to keep COOL"
The expedition will be composed of
seventeen men, who will be Joined by
three Esquimaux at Greenland. Orders
have already been sent from Denmark
TO Greenland directing the authorities
there to aid the expedition in every way
possible.