The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-02-19
FOR THE NORTH POLE.
Recent Plan of Another Arctic Ex.
pedition
An Immense balloon to BE Employ ed
Will Il VIII IIc stored with APP
paratus and Provisions for u
Six Months Trip.

ly arouse the admiring envy of our own
modest little Balloon Society, which,
when there is nothing of particular in
terest going on in the world of aerosta-
tion is content to discuss such eXtrane-
GUS topics as Shakespeare and the mu-
sical glasses, says the London Tele-
graph. Inc collegiate aerial naVl-
gators Of Lutctia aim at far more ex-
alted things than mere theoretical
dilettantism They arc nothing if not
practical; and two of their alumni, one
an aeronaut and the other an astron-
omer, propose at an early date to make
an attempt to reach the North Pole by
means Of balloon. They have been so
kind as to explain to their colleagues
their intended mode of procedure in
order TO reach and perhaps pass-the
Ultima Thule OF Arctic exploration
The North Polar balloon is to be made
of a double thickness OF Chinese silk,
which will BE- inducd with an impene-
trablc tarnish; and the machine will be
capable of holding about forty-fvc thou
sand feet Of pure hydrogen gas, having
sustaining force of eight thousand
pounds. Accompanying this hugo
''piccc dc resistance will be few
"prclty tiny lic,sahawa in the shape of
small pilot billooAi, which are to be sent
up as soon as the adventurous voyagers
reach the North Pole, to test the air
currents prevailing in that distant re-
gion; and there will also be attached to
the machine four huge bags full of
hydrogen to roplcnisll the main reser-
voir in ease of need. OF course these
''huge bags" will all be provided with
valves, else the probability of their
bursting when tho balloon gets into q
highly rarefed atmosphere will be
q far from remote contingency.
The car which, for an indefinite
period, is to be the residence of the
yoyagers will be coated with thin steel,
and will accommodate, in addition to
the aeronaut and astronomer, 4 sleigh,
eight dogs to draw it, n small unsinka-
Bile canoe and provisions for q month.
The stores will, it is to bo hoped, con-
tain good supply OF antimonial oint-
ment Whcrewith TO anoint the edges of
the valves, to prevent their freezing in
high lliitndcs. The astronomer, like
wise, will ,f course be provided with an
adequate stock of instruments where
wltn TO take the mlnutest observations
of the Polar star or Little Bear, discov-
cred in 1870 B. C. by the Chinese En-
peror Hong III, who, as everybody
knows, was grandson of Admiral Noah.
Such is the outline of the certainly
enterprising scheme propounded to the
College of Aerial Navigation by NM.
Besancon and llermite, who should not,
at any rate, be denied the credit of hav-
ing paid minute attention to the details
of an amusingly Quixotic plan. In order
to keep the balloon at uniform distance
from the earth it will be furnished with
stout rope and a grapnel or anchor, to
drag along the surface, either of ice or
water. The experience of the travellers
among pack-ice will probably be of the
most exciting description. The balloon,
however, is not to start direct from
Paris for the Arctic regions; hence the
certainly very wide world before them
where to choose; Or indeed they would
have if the wind in it's circuits allowed
any choice OF descent at all to aerial
navigators destitute of any steering ap-
paratus.
An important geographical fact has
been ascertained at the sacrifice of
many valuable lives and the cxpend-
iture of immense treasure; but that is
all. The duration of the expedition of
the balloon advcnturcrS will not, it is
estimated, exceed six MONTHS and there
n Fnnl tq ho in ha1f
by intelligent and rcsolute men, es-
pecially at the North Pole As for the
cost of the trip, it will be q mere flea
bite-somc GoS,00o. tho larger part of
which will so for tho hire and equip
ment OF the two vessels which arc to
proceed to Spi!zbcrGcn. Tho bulk of
the outlay viii be supplied by the
aeronauts themselves "aSsistcd" by the
subsidies which they hone to receive
from scientific societies both in En-
gland and in France. Looking at the
splend,l cndowmcntH with which scien-
tific societies in this country arc favored
by the State, there can be little doubt,
we should say, that from burlington
house, and from the Balloon Society at
the Westminster Aquarium, most lib
eral contributions will be made toward
helping the vivacious Gauls to get, by
means Of balloon, to the North Pole.
FRENCH scientific bodies will be, OF
course, quite as anxious to join in the
good work; and large amount of cash
should also be confidently looked for
from the general public, including the
fortunate holders of tho Panama canal
shares. The start for the Arctic regions
Is not 10 be made until May, 1892: and
contingency Will be avoided OF It's COM
ing down ingloriously at Carpentras or at
rives-la-Caillarde few hours after its
ascent. Two vessels are to be equipped
at q French port and sail for Spitz-
bergen. There the hydrogen gas will
be manufactured presumably by car
go OF iron filings to be carried by one OF
the ships-and the great balloon and Its
satellites will be inflated. The aeronauts
estimate their stay In the air at about
ten days duration; and meanwhile they
VIII be employed in meteorological and
Photographic observations and expert
menus which, it may be hoped, will
not be disturbed by the barking
OF the eight dogs in the car. Where the
adventurers win descend they have al
present no definite idea. They hay,