The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-07-29
ANDREE'S EXPEDITION.
Prof Heilprin Does Not Believe That
the Aeronaut Will Succeed.

ErOE g e1lpr1n does N OF Bo1levG @0aG
the Aeronaut Will Succeed.
Philadelphia, July 29.-Scientists are
eagerly waiting for tidings of Prof.
Andree and his expedition in search of
the north pole. In an interview to-
day Prof. Angelo Heilprin, president of
the Geographical society of Philadel-
phia,, and known throughout the scien-
tific world as an intrepid explorer, re-
viewed the whole situation. He said
that there would soon be some Idings
of the expedition, if, indeed, word is
ever received at all. Prof. Heilprin' s
opinion carries much weight with 1t, for
it was he who started out at the in
stance of the Academy of Natural Sci
ences with the relief expedition to res
cue Peary, and returned, having sue
cessfully accomplished his mission.
Asked whether he believed the
pigeons were from Andree, the profess
sor said that the matter was too pre-
posterous to require any consideration,
and he was surprised that it Should
have received any attention what ever
from Arctic explorers and geographerS.
1.-The supposition,' continued the pro-
fessor, that Andree would send such
a bald and indefinite message as mere
ly stating '142 degrees west longitude
is merely to assume that Andree was
the VerieSt novice in things scientific
and was now only learning the a B Cs
of the would-be observer. Prof. An
dree, whatever may be the special value
had. more than an ordinary scientific
training, and is one of the foremost stu
dents of the practical in the art of ball
looming in its fullest development. Fur
thermore,a pigeon that had drifted over
to the locality indicated would not have
returned in the teeth of the wind that
carried the balloon, but would almost
certainly have followed in the trend of
the coast: and it can be confidently
said that fully two weeks or more
would have been required for its home
ward Journey
With regard to the probable outcome
of the Andree expedition, as to the like
IhoOd of it's return, Prof. Heilprin said:
Il am hardly prepared to give an opin-
ion. 1 consider the expedition as more
than ventureSome, and / entertain the
personal feeling that the chances of re-
turn are rather against the explorer
than in his favor. Our present knowl-
edge of the currents, either of the air or
of the water, of the high northern lati-
tudes is hardly sufficient at this time
to permit a hazard as to where the bal
loon, whether in its entirety or in frag-
mentary parts resulting from wreck,
may find a resting place. Its possibili-
ties extend to- a coast line stretching
from northeastern Siberia to northwest
thousands of miles. It may be that no
coast line will ever be reached, the in
security of balloon travelling being ter
minated through a capture by the CEN
trail ice or water"
Prof. Hei1prin referred TO the prob
able result of Peary's trip northward.
He anticipates that Peary will be very
successful, and will solve many oues-
tions that have long agitated the scien-
tific world. The professor has just re-
ceived a letter from Mrs Peary con-
tanning satisfactory intelligence of the
progress of the expedition. It was
and was forwarded via Sydney, Cape
Breton.