New-York tribune., 1897-07-30
WHERE rs ANDREEf

The question Is easily and often asked Where
Is Andree? But. like many of the most easily
and most often asked questions In the world, II
is unanswerable. Three men alone. so far as
the world knows can answer 1t. II indeed they
still be living-Andree Strndberg and Fraenkel
For the rest Of mankind conjecture Is all that
circumstances afford. and 1t Of the most hap
hazard kind. You may build up your most
symmetrical scientific theories until they sec N
based on truth and towering to Omnlscience. and
n single puff Of a contrary wind will send them
all a-tumbing into hopeless ruin.
Now this is all we know. The three set sail
from Spitzbergen on Sunday. July II. at ex-
actly 2:3J p. m I'm a balloon theoretically capa-
ble of carrying them for month, with four
months supply Of food and seaworthy boat.
The sky was cloudless, and n piping breeze
was blowing from the south At exactly 3
o'clock they passed beyond the horizon out
OF sight straight toward the Pole. And then
the mpenetrabe curtain of the unknown came
down upon the scene. What happened next?
Where are they now?
With fair breeze a few hours. day at
most, should have brought them to the Pole and
n week should have carried them across the
Polar basin to the American or Greenland coast
But perhaps the wind was not fair. Perhaps it
died ont altogether. Perhaps it veered around
to west or east No one can tell, and one mans
guess Is as good as anOther's 1t was Andree's
plan to sail about $500 feet in air, but for the
twenty-five minutes while he was in sight of
those who saw him set out he was at not more
than onetentll that height He may have
dashed against some cliff or icrpack within the
hour.
fay 10 tn Vp
been made, and the balloon TO have been car
ried to or near the Pole. Would the voyagers
know the Pole when they saw it? Doubtful
In no other region Of the earth IS 1t so difficult
to keep ones bearings. The stars give almost
no help The midnight sun, even when visible
alters its altitude so little that II IS Impossible
accurately 10 determine the moment of noon.
If one is travelling laterally, or diagonally, the
longitude changes with bewildering rapidity. In
such circumstances it is doubtful whether from
his floating observatory AIdree could determine
the exact site Of the Pole within some miles.
Beyond all that. however suppose the voyage
70 he prosperous and the balloon 10 cross the
Polar basin TO some other coast Ii must be
North America or Greenland or Siberia. The
probability is that the balloon would have to he
abandoned soon after reaching land. For il
would have lost buoyancy and be travelling low
and would come 10 grief against some hill or
cliff. or. if II came 81 far as the timber line.
some lofty treetops There would then be moth
ing left but to march soulhward with load of
cumbersome but necessary provisions. such
march would be slow. and many weeks might
pass before the habitasjnS OF men were reached.
so. in irnih the question is nnanswerable.
Whether Andree and his companions he living
or dead. whether they have succeeded in their
daring quest or have failed. whether we shall
hear from them tomorrow or three months
hence--al are en>hrouded in uncertainty. The
best that can be said Is that even If they are
not heard from for weeks and months 10 come
there will still be no reason 10 give them mp IS
1nst