New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-07-11
WILL ANDREE GET THERE?
DIRECTION AND FORCE OF THE WIND
UPON WHICH HE RELIES.
Ai'HF THROWN ON THE PROBLEM BY GREELY's
WEATHER OBSERVATIONS FIFTEEN YEARS
AGO AT FORT CONCER

WEATHER OBSERVATIONS FIFTEEN YEARS
AGO AT FORT coNGER.
Inc balloon with which Herr Andree intends to
explore the Arctic basin was at last accounts
1uily inflated, and the plucky explorer is now
supposed to be awaiting favorable breeze in
which to launch his craft A hasty consideration
OF the winds Of that region therefore is in order
II this journey were undertaken with a flying
machine which could be propelled by its own
engines and which could be steered in any direc-
uon, OF course the result would be less doubtful
TO be sure experiments at home have satisfied
Herr Andree that by means Of drag ropes he
can steer his airship at least As degrees away
from the course Of the wind. A southwesterly or
southeasterly breeze, then, ought to be as help
ful to him as one coming directly from the south.
But. inasmuch he is to drift with the air cur
rent to which he intrusts himself, it is desirable
that the velocity we'll as the direction shall
be in his favor.
Danes Island, from which it is proposed to
start, lies a few miles to the northwest of the
main Sptzbergen group, perhaps one-third of a
degree south Of the eightiath parallel of latitude.
OF to the westward and northwestward, from
800 to 400 miles away, stretch the shores of
Greenland Between 800 and $50 miles to the
northeastward is the archipelago of Franz Josef
Land. In order to beat Nansens record Andree
needs to go due north from Danes Island about
four hundred and fifty miles. And the Pole,
which is Ostensibly the objective point of the
expedition, is fully seven hundred miles away.
II he reaches this desti nation his shortest route
homeward would be that by which he went
north. but he is credited with intention Of
seeking the shores Of Alaska 300 or 400 miles
distant from the Pole. and fully 1000 from Spitz-
bergen. Still, while the difficulties Of getting
back may possibly prove t. be greater than
those Of the first grand push northward, It is
sufficient for present purposes to concentrate at
tentiOn on the outward bound trip.
GREELY's OBSERVATIONS.
The direction and velocity of the winds at
Andree's starting point may be fairly inferred
from the observations made by Greelys party
during the two years 1t stationed at Fort
Conger That post is more than degree further
north than Danes Island but the difference IS
too trnng to be regarded. slightly more i'm
portant disparity Is to be found in the environ
ment Of the two sites Greedy encamped on
broad strait between two continents, whereas
the Spitzbergen group lies out in the open sea.
1t is not likely, however that the more level sur
face traversed by the wind would give Andree an
advantage of more than per cent, il it gave him
any.
If one scrutinize the published tables OF wind
direction and velocity, based on hourly obser-
vations at Fort Conger for 1889 and 1888 he will
discover that in summer the breeze Is light and
variable 1t seldom blows more than four five
miles an hour. At this season there Is perhaps
a slight prepondei ance of southerly. southeast
erly and southwesterly winds. But for Andrees
purposes these do not count until they show ex-
ceptional force. What he wants is a strong we'll
sustained blow that will enable him to make a
700 mile run without stopping.
On May 3, 1889. at Fort Conger, there a
wind from tn. right quarter with force ranging
from eight to nineteen miles an hour for eleven
consecutive hours. This vas equivalent to a trip
Of 40 or 100 miles. On May Is there was six
hour blow with average velocity OF fifteen
miles Then the wind went around to the east
ard stayed there for eight hours, blowing brisk
". At the end of that period something like a
calm set in. From p. May n 20 o'clock
next morning uen hou 81 the direction of the
wind was either southerly southeasterly or
southwesterIy and it's fore varied from five to
fourteen miles hour In June, July and
August there were half a dozen more such short
lived runs not one OF which would have suficed
TO carry a balloon more than 100 or 200 miles
from the starting point. Besides, there were a
few still better ones
a LONG-CONTJNUED FAVORABLE WIND.
On August 9 there was a wind from quarter
that would have been favorable to Andree fol
twenty-five consecutive hours, and mean veloc-
fly of thirteen miles an hour "a run of 2SG miles,
on July and there were thirty hours Of south
erly wind with a mean force Of eleven miles an
hour $500; on July 10 and 16 there regis
tered an almost continuous run Of thrty-three