Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-03-14
THE POLAR BALLOON PROJECT.
Commander Che.ne's Ideas Fully Z,
.I.fn

IL.
Commander Cheynes project of reach
ing the pole by means of 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 of
Arctic explorers.
Zone CT the most important premises
In this undertaking." lie says, sis the
fact that in eighty-one degrees, forty
seven minutes north latitude, which is
our intended winter quarters, lies a mag
n1ficent 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 win be built portable wooden
house for officers and men and here the
gas wiz Ageaeratetl. It is my intesi-
ton to generate two kinds "a essss ;sgre
hydrogen and carburated hydrogen or
common coal gas. This combination of
gas will be more sticky, aud thus will
not SO easily permeate the envelope of
balloon, and will be of greater lifting
power than common ceal 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 is with balloons. do
no anticipate Each viii 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 a portion of the
gas escapes from the balloons we shall
refill by using the gas III one balloon and
then deserting it. Tie balloons will be
kept at an average elevation of 500 feet
by trail ropes, the mountains being easily
cleared by throwing out little ballast.
This trail rope viii be very important.
If the sun becomes little warmer than
usual the gas will, of course, expand,
and the balloon be incliped to rise under
such expansion, but directly this rising
takes place the rope is lifted off the ice
and acts as counterIalance. Again, in
the case of a cloud passing between the
sun and the balloon. the gas will con-
dense, and the baioon be inc ined 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 a means of control. 1t 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 AGO miles, and
this, estimate, can be easily accom-
plished in twenty four hours. We expect
to return from the pole either by bal
loon with favorable windD or else by
sledge, nr'hing cur way back to ST. Pat
ricl's Bay, or possibly to some part Of
the Rus All 90 st, should it appear bet
ter to take that course"