The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1891-04-30
FOR THE NORTH pole.
Recent Plan of Another Arctic Ex-
pedition.
An Immense Balloon to De Employed
Which VIII Be Stored with APP
paratus and Provisions for
Six Months Trip.

and the vanlting ambition of tho mem
bcrs of the body in question might fair
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 extranc-
Gus topics as Shakespeare and the mu-
steal glasses, says the London Tcie-
graph. The collegiate aerial navi.
gators OF Lutetia aim at far more ex
alted things than mere theoretical
dilettantism. They are 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 a 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 q double thickness of Chinese silk,
which will be indued with an impenc-
trable varnish; and the machine will be
capable of holding about forty-five thou
sand feet of pure hydrogen gas, having
sustaining force of eight thousand
pounds. Accompanying this huge
''piece de resistance" will be q few
pretty tiny kickshaws" in the shape OF
small pilot balloons, 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-
er;n ND M ln1, ,n att nl rs,
the machine four huge bags full of
hydrogen to replenish the main reser-
voir in case of need. OF course these
'huge bags will all be provided with
valves, else the probability Of their
bursting when the balloon gets into
highly rarefied atmosphere will be
far from remote contingency
The car which, for an indefinite
period, is to be the residence of the
and will accommodate, in addition to
the aeronaut and astronomer, sleigh,
eight dogs to draw it, q small unsinka-
ble canoe and provisions for a month
The stores will, it is to be hoped, con-
tain good supply of antimonial oint-
ment wherewith to anoint the edges of
the valves, to prevent their freezing in
high latitudes. The astronomer, like
wise, will Of course be provided with an
adequate stock Of Instruments where
with to take the minutest observations
of the Polar star or Little Bear. discov-
cred in 1870 B. G. by the Chinese En-
peror Hong I'll, who, as everybody
knows, was grandson of Admiral Noah.
Such is the outline of the certainly
ontcrprising scheme propounded to the
College of Aerial Navigation by NM.
Besancon and Hermite, who should not,
ut any rate, be denied the credit of hav-
of an amusingly Quixotic plan. In order
to keep the balloon at uniform distance
from the earth it will be furnished with
a 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
contingency will be avoided of it's COM
ing down ingloriously at Carpentraso or at
Brives-la- Caillarde a few hours after its
ascent. Two vessels are to be equipped
at a 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
will be employed in meteorological and
Photographic observations and expert
ments which, it may be hoped, will
not be disturbed by the barking
of the eight dogs in the car. Where the
adventurers will descend they have at
present no definite idea. They have
certainly very wide world before them
where to choose; or, indeed, they would
have II the wind in its circuits allowed
any choice of descent at all to aerial
navigators destitute of any steering ap-
paratus. fJal
An important geographical fact has
been ascertained at the sacrifice OF
many valuable lives and the expend
iture of immense treasure; but that is
all. The duration Of the expedition OF
the balloon adventurers will not, it is
estimated, exceed six months, and there
is good deal TO be done in half yeai
by intelligent. and resolute men, es
pecially at the North Polo. AS for the
cost OF the trip, it will be mere flea
bite-some R2S, 200, the larger part O
which will 60 for the hire and equip
ment of the two vessels which are t.
proceed to Spitzbergen. The bulk o
the outlay will be supplied by tn,
acronauts themselves assisted" by tn,
,ubsidics which they hope to receiv,
from scientific societies both in En-
sland and in France. Looking at thu
splendid ondowments with which scien
li.csocieties in this country arc favored
b. the State, there can be little doubt
We should say, that from Burlington
house, and from the Balloon Society q
the Westminster Aquarium, most lib
cral contributions will be made towar,
helping the vivacious Gauls to get, b,
means of balloon, to the North Pole
French scientific bodies will be, o
course, quite as anxious to join in tn
good work; and large amount of cas-
should also be confidently looked 70
from the general public, including tn
fortunate holders of the Panama cana
shares. Tho start for the Arctic region
is not to be made until May, 1892; an
the interval will be devoted to exper