The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-07-02
ANDREE'S COOL TRIP
THIS WEATHER MAKES ONE ENVY
THE WOULD-BE POLE
FINDER.
TO THE POLE BY BALLOON.
HE THINKS HE CAN MAKE THE
JOURNEY IN FORTY-EIGHT
HOURS.
IS NOW IN SPfTZBERGEN
TO THE POLE BY BALLOON.
Is NOW IN SPITZBERGEN
Where Preparations for the Start,
Which Is to Occur July II,
Are Being Made.

The latest papers from Stockholm
and Gothenburg have full accounts of
Prof. Andree's departure for the north
pole, which, according to schedule, was
from Gothenburg on Sunday, June T.
Promptly at 10 o'clock in the fore
noon of that day the steamer Virgo,
which takes the expedition to Spitz-
bergen, steamed out of the harbor and
headed for the north. Besides the
three members of the expedition and
NJ. Lachambre, maker of the balloon,
the boat carried thirty-one persons,
including the officers. Some. of these
are members of the scientific eXpedi-
ton which will explore SpitZbergen
while the ships crew lands the cargo,
sets up the balloon house and initiates
the balloon. AS soon as the balloon
is launched on it's journey the balloon
house, gas machines and all other par
aphernalia will be loaded on the ship
again; depot of supplies will be left
on the island; the explorers, who have
been rummaging over Spitzbergen dur
ing the three or four weeks the steamer
has been detained will be taken
aboard again, and about the first of
August the steamer will leave for
home The balloonists will sail from
Spitzbergen toward the pole on July "a,
wind and weather permitting.
In an interview just before depart
ure from Gothenburg Prof. Andree
said
my original plan was to have left
here June 1, but on the advice Of Prof.
Nordenskjold we have postponed our
departure to the 18th, thereby giving
the ice in the polar sea a weeks longer
time for melting and for making room
for our arrival. Hence we will sail
next Sunday for Tromsoe, where sew
eral of the gentlemen who are to ex-
plore Spitzbergen will board the steam
er. The carrier-pigeons from Ham
merfest will also be taken aboard at
Tromsoe, and then we will steer direct
for Spitzbergen, where we should ar
rive about June 90
PREPARATION FOR THE BALLOON
TRIP.
Eyes, we intend to land on one of the
Norwegian islands northwest of Spitz-
bergen, provided ice does not prevent:
should the ice be too thick there we
will land on the Amsterdam island.
west of Spitzbergen.
The unloading and erection of the
balloon house will commence at once.
which will consume about two weeks.
Then the gas machines will be put in
operation and the balloon filled. This
VIII take several days, as the balloon
VIII be examined carefully, inch by inch.
as 1t fills out There is to be no hurry
IN the preparations, least of all with
the imitation of the balloon. BY July
~ everything will be ready and any day
thereafter, when the wind is favorable.
the balloon journey will commence.
Our schedule time for starting is
July "a, but of course We'll start when
the wind is most favorable, whether
that be a few days before or after the
24th. Much depends upon getting a
good start, and we shall exercise all
the patience and discernment at our
command to select the proper time.
TWO DAYS TO THE POLE.
How long will it take you to reach
the pole from your starting point?'
That question is impossible to an
sWer. l can only say that under the
most favorable circumstances, with
normal winds driving US forward at
rate OF twenty-five or twenty three
miles an hour, we could reach the pole
in fcrty-eight hours or less
The whole balloon trip could be fin
ished in a week."
Undoubtedly it could, but we do not
expect it. We must be prepared for ad-
verse winds, and then in midsummer
the winds are never strong in these
regions, at least not about Spitzbergen
and it may take weeks and months
before we are heard FROM
And You will land as soon as you
reach the continent, whether it be ST.
IBERIA or American"
Not necessarily; We'll sail inland as
far as possible, and at all events try to
reach inhabited country; the only
reason for an early landing would be
sudden change of the wind threaten
ing to carry us back into the polar
seas"
"Supposing your balloon should be
wrecked in the polar regions, what
them"
Such a shipwreck is of course pos
sihIe. hut hardly probable At all
events we are prepared for it and will
return to civilization by means of
Slelghs and boat the best we can. We
would be no worse off than other polar
expeditions, but rather better, as we
will have made the outward Journey
by balloon and will not be worn out
Then we will have as much provision
for our return trip as former expedi-
ways. In addition we have the moral
strength that comes from the fact that
the obstacles overcome are behind our
back and that we are advancing toward
humanity and civilization
IN CASE OF BALLOON-WREC
But if such shipwreck should occur
In the neighborhood of the pole, how
will you get back?'
we have three routes to select from
all three of about the same length.
We must try to make either Greenland
or Franz Josef's Land or Spitzbergen.
In the two first named places we may
expect to find human habitations. on
Spitzbergen we make a depot before we
leave, so as to have a base of supplies
If we should return that way"
How do you divide your work during
the balloon trip?"
I'VE have each specific parts to do
during the journey. Dr. Ekholm win