New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-12-04
Ry B1LLOOy TO THE POLE.

Commander Chcync invariably succeeds in
interesting an audience in his proposed balloon
flights to the North Pole. He has been ridi-
culcd by many English scientists ~ a dreamer
whose projects are purely chimcrical, and has
been snubbcd by the Royal Geographical So
cicty as an explorer who talks too much, but he
seldom fails to command attention and to eE-
cite sympathy when he unfolds his novel and
ingenious plan. lie shows remarkable rcadi-
ness, moreover, in adapting his schemes to new
conditions Of Arctic adventure. He gravcly
assured tie Academy of Sciences the other
evening that one Of the main objects Of his cy-
pcdition would be to render aid to the Jcauncttc,
and then proceeded to demonstrate that it was
foolish to send relief expeditions through Bch-
ring Strait to the quarter where she was last
seem when in all scientific probability she had
been carried in the very direction which he
him 3clf wishes 10 take. His suppOsitiOn is that
the great body of the Gulf Stream that flows
northward from Norway strikes lighter cur
rents, and sweeping around the Pole rs q sub
marine current, finally passes ont through
Smiths Sound. He thinks that the Jeanette
in approaching the Pole ha, been drawn into
this current aud may be headed of 10y an cx-
petition from Bafns Bay. Already in hi.
minds eye he describes from the car Of his
balloon as he journeys by easy flights toward
the nincticth point of north latitude, the trim
little ship all toe snugy bcrthcd in one 81 the
haIbors Of Che mysterious coast which Kane,
Hall and Mares failed to explore.
Commander Chcyuc doe, not say so. bat a
submarine current with SO convenient reach
may fairly be expected 10 draw more Than one
,-,tt Ittr. al int, 10
ncttc is not the only missing shin in tho Arctic
seas. There is Leigh Smith, the yachtsman,
who has not returned from Franz Josef Land,
and there is the WiIlcm Barcuts, which was
last seen in the ncighborhood of Spi,lbcrgen.
They were in the direct sweep e the northern
most tongue of the Gulf Stream, and are quite
as likely to be in the upper waters of Smiths
Sound rs the Jeanette Commander Chcyue
has only TO reach the coal seam in Discovery
Bay, initiate his balloons. and calculate tbs
wind curve, in order to sail around the Pole
and pick up one unfortunate explorer after Al
other, to say nothing of an occasional wbalcr.
Such a theory as Commander Chcync's sim
plics the search after missing explorers which
is the inevitable sequel to every Arctic cxpc-
diti0n. When Sir John Fmnklin's vessels
were lost sight OF, expedition after expedition.
year after year, was sent north through Ballin's
Bay and Bchring Strait to learn his fate: and
although the Jeanette has been away only
two of her three appointed years, three vessels
have already been searching for her in quarters |
as far apart as SpitzbcIgcn and Wrangcll Land. |
while another season may witness the cxplora-
ton of the northern coast of Siberia and the |
Polar archipelago of North America. Com
mandCr Cheyne would not look evcrywhcrc |
for missing explorer. He would only search |
in that quarter whore the vessel would br
certain to come out. There may be many |
points Of departure differing widely in lougi |
tude, but there is only one logical exit. and
there the plucky navigator is to be headed off |
before he pcrishco from starvation or reap. |
pears before his publisher with the manuscript |
OF his book. No matter where vessels NAV |
happen to be shut in, the efficient submarine |
current will invariably sweep around the Pole |
and bring them out IN one and the same quar- |
ter, where they can be readily rcscued-possibly |
towcl out with a trail ropc-by Commander
Chcyucs balloons.
The privilege Of emerging from the mystery
and Ob,curity Of Arctic retirement al his own
pleasure Commander Chcync reserves for only
one cAporcr-husclL Others may 20 in where
they like, but they can come out in only one
quarter, and that commanded by his own
balloons. As for himself, he can 20 ia only by
Smiths Sound. where lac is certain Of finding