New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-16
SEEKING THE POLE IN "A BALLOON.

strong and pleasing appeal is made to the
IMAGINATION by the project of NM. Besancon and
Hermte for exploring the North Pole in balloon.
The object they seek is intensely fascinating, and
were the undertaking successful its results would
have great value for many of the natural sciences.
Failure to reach the pole by other means en-
bances interest in this new device for that pur-
nose and the courage ard originality involved IN
The attempt are highly creditable to the two young
French aeronauts who propose to make 1T.
The factor of most Importance in this scheme Is
| the possible existence Of winds blowing across
the pole from Spitzbergen the proposed point OF
departure TO either the Alaskan or Siberian coast
on which it is hoped to land in safety. Inc
Sive is not to he sclpropelling stecraDle cralt'
like those in which the Brothers Renard, NJ krebs
and NJ. Tissandier have distinguished themselves
but merely gas-bag whose motions can De con-
rolled only in respect to ascent and descent ouc-
| cess will therefore depend mainly upon the al
rection of the various atmospheric currents pre-
yailing in the region explored
If. then. there be, directly over the pole, the
axis of either high low pressure system, there
would he inflowing winds above and outhowlhS
ones below in the case, or the reverse III the
other; and were these motions radial, the TASK Oh
those bold navigators would seem to be easy Uy
regulating the altitude of their air-shlp they couh
tax. n northward course up to the POLE and then
If they did not become becamed as a ship does
in the centre of a cyclone at sea-get into another
current which would bear them southwark toward
Behring Sea-
Rut there are several serious difficulties to DE en-
countered In the first place, winds blow Ill ana
ont of air-preSsure systems In spirals' not Ill
STRAIGHT lines and even those spirals are sadly
| distorted by lack Of symmetry i'll high ana low
nressure areas Secondly, one cannot reckon very
confidently upon the presence of even spiral
ndsvstem central at the pole, although there Is
| moro reason for expecting one in summer IMAM III
winter During the latter season there arc usually
two deep and almost permanent barome'ric uc-
nres,ions in the Arctic Zone but as far south as
| Iceland and Rehring Sea. When the sun has come
well Moth of the equator, these grow SHALLOW
move toward the pole. and almost lose their Ill
| diyiduality in general minimum Inc nope
which this situation theoretically eXcltes Is 1ur-
tbcr encouraged by General Grccly's record OF
| soutbvcsterly and southerly winds, though very
LIGHT ones, prevailing in summer at Fort Conser'
| in latitude 81 IA y. But, on the other mana,
SCOTS chart of pressure and winds Tor August
| node tho dominant breeze near Spitzbcrscn, LOCO
r,iIos eastward. n northweserly one. One of the
many Interpretations Of which this contradiction
n susccntiblc is that the pressure conditions vary
| somewhat from summer 10 summer. lie thls as II
| may there is a little disbursement In Scout
| record as il stands Then, thirdly, scrutiny oil
| CreeIv,s b,romctrc and wind observations, at
Fort Conger. and OF the daily international wealth
or charts issued nj Washington shows that very
much tbc same succession Of cyclonic and anti
cvcIonic movements with their changes IN the
! force and direction OF the wind, as we experience
! e. No,vyork or Paris in summer, Is also observed
| in the highest attitudes yet visited Dy cI'lH~'n
man This lack Of permanence in the HABITS OF 'he
wind at Spitzbergen and the absence oil tcle-
| gronhio communication with regions far 70 'he
westward must leave even the acuteSt me'eoro-
ooist uncertain as 70 the possible continuance Of
favorable conditions when once the voyasers are
reod,, for their flight. To this 1t may bc added
that at present science can tell us less about TIE
winds on the BchIing Strait side of the pole than
| in the extreme North Atlantic.
! NM Resancon and Hermite, however, are not
reckless. lie Monde Illustre,' III paper re-
viewing the matter. announces that as a result oil
a discussion with so competent an authority as NJ
| Wilfred dc Fonviellc, they have SO iar moul'c"
| ,ber intentions as 20 visit Spiubcrsch TINS SUM-
| NOR merely to study the winds OF that region :
and II tle results Of this investigation are not Az
.olu,elv favorable. they will abandon their heroic
onterprisc Before they do this, however II is 10
no boncd that they will consider the ayallaolll'y
Of guidablc self propcling arships for that 2'ooo
mile journey.