Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-12-24
The Balloon Route Co the Pole.
The n. Y. papers of yesterday publish the fol-

towing card:
''The in one sense happy but otherwise unfor-
tunate tidings Of the Jeanette, combined with
the driving back of the William Barentz and
non intelligence Of Leigh Smith, bring up to
latest date confirmation Of the almost insuper-
able obstacles necessary to be overcome by ship
and sledges ere the pole can be discovered.
Are We forever to keep to one line of action
while other untred paths are at our disposal
declare. sir fearlessly and emphatically. that
the pole can be reached by the air path In bal
looms. This naod,ls opeTGrsds will be but
transposition Of the dangers and hard
10 dangers of a less degree without
the hardships. 1t has been too we'll and too
often proved that ships can be crushed in the
Ice and sled re parties can only advance at the
rate of a mile per day over the very rough ice.
whereas balloons are not liable TO ice-crushng.
and an easy advance to the pole can bee made at
the rate of 50 miles an hour without hardship or
suffering. and as to temperature. work can be
carried on in the baoon-car with our coats of
to keep us cool. This is no eNaggeration. |
speak from experience. | will not trcspass
upon your space by going into balloon details.
sufficient 10 say that the plan has been thor
oughiy investigated by many scientific men in
America and England. naval and military Off
GERS. hard headed and practical whaling cap
tahs -ali of whom have not only in
dorSei the project. but placed their
names on Arctic committees to carry ont the
organization of the enterprise. | have Just re-
T. L..
the Arctic Council in London. informing me that
an immediate movement in the United States
VIII b"ilI about corresponding action and the
collection Of further subscriptions i'm London.
on communicating this fact to Mr.. Henry Wal
tou Giinneli. whose father so generously sent
out two expeditions in search of Sir Jonn
tranklin-thlS gentleman himself noted tray
cler within the arctic circle euerrctically re-
Sponded TO the situation. and volunteered to
become secretary to proposed Arctic Commit
f,s it,h a
York for the purpose of collecting the sum of
~, OtU as the American quota toward the cost
OF this kn.-io-Ainerican expedition. The other
$4,000 viii he RAISED i'm England. the total cost
benz $1,000, OF which the balloons will cost
10000.
Upon the invitation of Sir John Macdonald
and Sir Leonard Tiley. start tomorrow for
Canada. going to Ottawa and other cities to
gain cooperation of the Canadian people. 1
expect to be back in New York about January
~. During my absence ar. Grinnell has kindly
undertaken to watch the interest of organiza-
ton in New York. and | WILL as having lived
twelve years on the soil Of America appeal to
enternrlsing and wealthy citizens of New York
and other places in the United States TO support
Mr. Grilinell. Lieut.. Schwatka US A.. and my
self in "a speedy gathering" in OF the funds neces-
saly fer the equipment of the expedition.
The funds will not be in any way under my
control. but will be at the disposal of the New
York Arctic Committee. being properly banked
in the na'Ge of Il treasurer to he designated by
the committee. ask that no tinc may be lost
IN this work. so that the trrianel-the name de-
ter;nined upon for our yessel-inay sail from the
narbor OF New York for Smiths Sound by next
June. JOHN p CHEYNE
Commander R.N.. F.R.G.S.
Lotos Cab, Ne,o YORK. Thursday, Dec go 1881.
The QUEENS MAS foAST.-The royal baron
OF bee! destined to grace Queen Victorias table
on Christmas day weighs about 800 pounds. 1t
was cut from prime red and white shOrthorn,
FED by the Duke of COnnaught at BagshOt Park.
which fetched f73 at her majestys recent sale
at Shaw Farm.