The morning news., 1897-03-28
BY BALLOON TO THE NORTH POLE.
Authoritative Details OF the French
Project to Remain GO Days in the
Pail Mall Gazette Interview.

Project to Remain GO Days in the
Air.
Pail Mall Gazette Interview.
To ascertain what is exact in the rumor
Of a French expedition to the north pole,
having for chief pilot M. Louis GODDARD.
called on that gentleman, who at once sup
Piled me with all particulars. M. GODDARD
is a distinguished aerostatic engineer, who
builds, as well as commands, aerial ships
For the last twenty years he has been
practically connected with aerial naviga-
don. He is on the shady side of thirty
years of age, is about s feet s inches in
stature, and weighs some eleven stone. He
is of quiet unassuming manners, but the
possessor of an iron will and nerves Of
steel In word, a daring pilot in ex-
tremity."
And what Monsieur lie Chef, is the sit
uation of your project?' 1T is supported
by four Partisan journals, namely lie Fig
arc, lie Petit Journal, lie Matin, and lie
Petite Partisan. The committee has for
President M. Rambaa6, minister of pub
lie INSTRUCTION, and five members OF the
Academic des Sciences, including NJ. Faye.
whose name alone Is a guarantee for the
feasibility of the project and stimulus
for its success"
do you anticipate serious difficulties in
the execution of your plans?' NO there
is nothing new in the idea of crossing the
banquise boreale by means Of a balloon,
whose course nothing can arrest, If well
managed and a favorable current exists.
Since 1898 my associates and myself nave
studied the present plan, and conclude
that. with a balloon suitably constructed
and a well-chosen crew, the enterprise
may be said to present no risks. Further,
our balloon will not follow any marked
out route"
"WiH your balloon be larger" 1T will
per Sc cube in round numbers 11,000 meters;
will have circumference of Sc, and a
| diameter of q meters. 1t will be built with
| silk, consist of two Independent envelopes,
| one sheathing inside the other, but both
uniting al base and summit by valves, fur
| nished with similar valves 1T the circum-
| ference, and arranged according to a spe-
| cial system 1t will also have an air bal
loon. of a small but determined capacity,
attached, to aid in maintaining the geo
metric form of the balloon, TO assist In
| working any scheme of deviation, ana IN
| contributing to the floating in cold re-
gions The netting, its hopping and pe-
culiar cordages, will weigh 1,525 kilos; the
steadying guide-rope cable, anchor, etc,
| 500 kilos The car will weigh 625 kilos,
| and be rectangular in shape, of ca
pacity of by 2A by 2 meters, and COW
| cred overhead; on it's roof, or deck, the
| working operations will take place The
| interior of the car Will consist of cabins
! in which to repose, eat, record oDserVa-
! tions, one being reserved for the labora-
| tory. The weight of the balloon proper
| with these fittings will be 1850 kilos
! And your crew." ut will comprise
seven persons, representing total weight
| of 500 kilos, or an average Of l2lz stone per
| Individual. The provisions are calculated
! for 12O days, at the rate Of 81 pounds dai-
| ly per person, and will represent total
weight Of 1.10O kilos. Photographic appa-
ratus, scientific instruments, folding
boats, sledges, arms duplicate ropes, an
! Choir, ballast, ETC., Will make total
| weight of 745O kos, which, added TO the
1850 kilos already mentioned, will repre-
! sent grand total Of 1900 kilos. The bal
| .ast alone will weigh tons II cwt, and
will consist Of small shot and water.
| What about the inhation"' THAT will
be effected with pure hydrogen gas, sufii-
cient to tide over a voyage Of forty days
| but with the twelve gasometer balloons
| suspended between the car and the equa-
\ torial section Of the balloon, each cubing
| $50 meters additional OF hydrogen, the Jour-
/ ney can be extended to sixty days. One
cubic meter Of pure hydrogen is estimated
TO raise a weight Of 2 pounds 8 ounces
| The leakage OF gas, based on the working
| Of captive and military balloons during
/ several years. Is calculated at ~ per cent
per twenty-four hours. Even allowing the
| Joss to be per cent, sufficient hydrogen
would remain for voyage-that is to say
| to float in the air-during fifty days"
How long do you expect your explora.
| ton journey 70 last?" with a favorable
wind, moving at the rate Of four meters
| per second-the mean velocity OF the wind
! at Spitzbergen, based on 900 observations
| taken during the fine weather, and when
| there Is no night-or fifteen ldometeri
per hour, the balloon would travel daily
| $50 kilometers, or 22j miles-that Is 70 say
| 13 700 miles, during sixty days. But the
| contemplated voyage OF exploration Is not
/ expected to exceed twelve or fifteen days
| equivalent 10 journey Of 3375 miles Now
| the distance OF unexplored territory be-
tween Spitzbergen and Bergen straits
Is about 1900 miles, so that a liberal mar.
| gin has been allowed for the run"
"lIow do you propose 70 prepare the
/ hydrogen gasY THE minister OF marine
/ will be asked to place "A steamer with a
crew Of thirty hands, at the disposal oil
! the committee. to transport the cargo
some 300 tons. to spilzbergen. To produce
the requisite amount Of gas 1900 cubic
meters. Including accessories etc. i79 tons
/ Of sulphuric acid and " tons OF iron will
! be needed Pending the imitation no shell
] ter will be required for the balloon; n