Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1895-07-25

tiOn of Flight.
 By King Oscar of Sweden's subscrip- tion of 30,000 kronor, recently an nounced by cable, to the promotion of MT. Andree's project for reaching the north pole by balloon, the expedition was rendered a moral certainty, and Mir. Andree has already begun his prep arations
 The expedition will start not later than July, 1896. Every precaution will be taken for the safety of the aeronauts, and the Swedish Academy of Science will not give it's consent to the expedi- tion until it has carefully examined ev- cry detail. MT. Nils Ekholm, who is to accompany Mir. Andree, says that, while he fully understands the great dangers of the enterprise. it must be beremembered that the whole business will be man aged by men who are accustomed to the difficulties of such work. In contrasting Mir. Andree's exhibition with that of Professor Nansen, MT. Ekholm argues that his risks are not nearly so great as those of Professor Manson. MT. Andree, he says, will trust to winds which are great deal quicker and in many ways safer than those of the ocean, and he does not consider that the members of the balloon expedition will incur any unusual risk of life.
 The balloon is to be of sufficient bear ing capacity to convey three adventur- CTS, their scientific instruments and supplies for four months, sledge, can vas boat, arms and ammunition and ballast, of a total weight of 6,600 pounds, through the regions of space for 8 period of 30 days. The material of the balloon will Do so close that waste os gas will be reduced to minimum, while it's car will be a two storied con- cern, containing a bedchamber, store cupboards and dark room for photo graphic purposes.
 Mir. Andree points out that in 1878 NJ Henri GifFard exhibited balloon capable of lifting 26. 400 pounds, and that Messrs. Poisenilles and Graham constructed an experimental one yards in diameter, which only lost IS pounds of it's bearing power in a month. M. Gabriel Ton of Paris, celebrated mak- or, is quite willing to construct bal loon to meet Mir. Andree's s requirements. The gas employed would be hydrogen, manufactured in the arctic regions in transportable apparatus or conveyed in @ compressed state to the spot, the amount necessary for imitation being 5000 cubic yards. The balloon would be furnished with cocoanut fiber bas- kets, to be lowed on water and so di minish speed when required, as we'll as ballast ropes which would regulate the height of the balloon above the surface some 272 yards, therefore beneath the lowest layers of cloud.
 A feature of the balloon will be the attachment of sail and cable by which Mfr Andree is confident he will be in some measure enabled to direct his course. He has already tested it with success, and during the coming year will endeavor to perfect or at least i'm prove the invention. The cable, or guide rope, when paid out touches the surface of the earth or sea, as the case may be, and this friction prevents the balloon from turning round and also slackens its speed If the guide rope is hooked on to the central strop and the sail hoist ed, the course of the balloon is not af fected, and it travels with the wind, but if the guide rope is hooked on to one of the northern strops the wind catches it at an angle, and the balloon s course is deyiated toward the right of the pole The opposite effect is caused by attaching the sail and rope to one of the southern strops.
 The only attempt at surveying and mapping the unknown wastes during the aerial journey would be by the aid of photography, as it is presumed that the rate of travel would be too great to allow of other observations being made, The flight will be made from the Nor ways, some islands off the northwest coast of Spitzbergen, and if all goes we'll the pole will be passed in 40 hours or whereabouts, if the moderate pace of IT miles an hour is maintained, while if the current is as strong as that which blew the two French aeronauts ill 1870 from Paris to the Lifjeld mountains, in Norway, five to six hours will suffice for that part of the trip. The journey, it Is believed by MT. Andree, will be con tinued to the northwestern shores of America.
 Mir. Andree points out that the arctic regions are admirably suited for aerial navigation, the temperatures being even, the sun up the whole day, the surface clear of vegetation and electric dis charges of rare occurrence. He has al ready acquired considerable knowledge of the frigid zone, having spent five summers in arctic America and two in Spitzbergen. New York Herald. Nnt Easy tn Yannuiah