The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-02-23
The POLAR BALLOON PROJECT.
Commander Cheyne's Ideas Fully Ex
plnined.

Commander Cheyne's Ideas Fully Ex
Commander Cheyne's project Of reach
ing the pole by means of a balloon was,
when first proposed, regarded as very
chimerical, but has of late been assum-
ing a degree of practicability in the
minds of even the most conservative oi
Arctic explorers.
"One CT the most important premises
in this undertaking." he says, els the
fact that in eighty-one degrees, forty
seven minutes north latitude, which is
our intended winter quarters, lies mag
nifcent bed of coal on the surface, and.
according to the report of Sir George
Mares, $50 yards long by twenty five
feet in width, of unknown depth, an un-
limited supply of well-nigh smokeless
coal, equal to the best Welch. Here we
have discovered what is essential to the
project, source of heat. On this coal
bed will be built portable wooden
house for officers and men and here the
gas will be generated. 1t is my inten-
ton to generate two kinds of gas, pure
hydrogen and carburated hydrogen or
common coal gas This combination of
gas will be more sticky, and thus will
not so easily permeate the envelope of a
balloon, and will be of greater lifting
power than common coal gas alone. The
larger the balloon the safer it will be.
We shall have three of good dimensions,
each capable of carrying two tons in
weight. Each will be fully equipped for
separate travelling, in case of separation,
which, however, Judging from the results
of my experiments with balloons, do
no anticipate. Each will carry light
boat, sledge, pack of Esquimaux
dogs, and three persons. with the neces-
sary stores, men and dogs being provis-
ioned for five days. If portion of the
gas escapes from the balloons we shall
refill by using the gas in one balloon and
then deserting it. The balloons will be
kept at an average elevation of 500 feet
by trail ropes, the mountains being easily
cleared by throwing out a little ballast
This trail rope will be very important.
If the sun becomes little warmer than
usual the gas will, of course, expand,
and the balloon be inclined to rise under
such expansion, but directly this rising
takes place the rope is lifted off the ice
and acts as a counterbalance. Again, in
the case of a cloud passing between the
sun and the balloon, the gas will con-
| dense, and the balloon be inclined to de-
scend, but in doing SO more of the rope
is deposited on the ice and this again
counterbalances. Another advantage of
the trail rope is to keep the same portion
of the balloon always facing the north /;
in fact, it will in a great measure serve
as means of control. It will enable
gelatin plate photographs and astronom-
ical observations to be taken with accu-
racy and ease. Careful observations OF
the Arctic currents of air have convinced
me that when certain well-known indi-
cations prevail in these latitudes, the
wind may be relied upon to blow for
two days or more in one direction. The
distance to the pole from the point OF
departure will be only 469 miles, and
this, I estimate, can be easily accom-
plished in twenty four hours. We expect
to return from the pole either by bal
loon with favorable wind) or else by
sledge, making our way back to st. Pat
rick's Bay, or possibly to some part o1
the Russian coast, should it appear bet.
ter to take that course"