The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-08-02
ANDREE PROBABLY LOST
GEN. GREEDY THINKS THE EXPLOR-
ER WILL NEVER BE HEARD FROM.
If He Crossed the Pole in His Balloon
He Would Not Know It-His Trip of
Little Scientific Value.

LINDEN, Va, Aug 1-Gen A. w. Gree
ly. the hero of past Arctic expeditions
has given up hope of ever hearing from
Andree, the brave Arctic balloonist Cen
eral Greedy was found at his picturesque
place among the Blue Ridge mountains,
where he is spending the summer and gain
ing strength from a recent illness and sur
gical operation.
Il have seen a complete description of
what Andree intended to carry with him
in the way of provisions and means of es-
cape" said General Greedy. But if his bal
loon is lost his chance-of escape by the boat
| understand he was to take with him is
almost nil. The chances of a balloon 60
ing any long distance in any definite direc-
ton depends upon it's sustaining itself above
the earth at a considerable height. AS An
dree's idea was not to so higher than
seven hundred feet, he would be moved by
surface winds.
Now If you take a weather map of the
United States at any time you will see that
a balloon would seldom travel in any di-
rection six hundred miles. If he started out
with southern winds the chances are that
the wind would change to a westerly one
as he approached the pole AS be started in
latitude 81, within seven hundred miles of
doubt that he would go three or four hun
dred miles of that distance l4.,rth and east
that would leave him such a great distance
from the Siberian coast that the chances
of his escape would be remote If he had
his boats and three or four months Drovf-
sions we know from the experience of the
De Long party and from Nansen's drift in
the Frand that Andree and boats would
drift to the northwest or west northwest
which would be a very SLOW drift. [ do not
think Nansens drift averaged much over
one mile per day. Andree's chances of es-
cape, with a very small supply of provisions
and much smaller supply of fuel for cook
ing, would be almost nothing"
WOULDN'T KNOW THE POLE.
Would Andree's observations from his
balloon be exact and of scientific value?''
His observations would be of value only
as showing the character of the ocean
passed over. He could tell whether there
was land or not. but he could not see very
far on either side. l don't suppose his range
of observation would extend more than for
ty miles on each side--that is to saw. it
might cover a country eighty miles wide
There is much doubt, moreover about his
ability to tell where he was at any time.
1t seems to me it would be utterly imros-
sible to tell by the sun with the sextant.
the ordinary method of determining the lat
1tude. OF course, he would not know when
to make observations at the highest polnt
OF the sun during the day because his lon
Sltude changes SO rapidly, and then his n lii
Jude is constantly changing. Thus it seems
to me the usual methods of location fail"
Then he will not know when he crosses
the pole? the correspondent asked
Il don't see how he can determine when
he crosses the pole or whether he crosses
it at all or prove it if he did"
What are the chances of a balloon MAX
ing such trip as Andree has undertaken"
Slight. The longest time | ever knew of
q balloon in air is nine days. That was
nj
TO keep his balloon in the air a longer
period by preventing the escape of gas
which ordinarily is at the rate of or
per cent. day, and he believed he had
devised a method to reduce the escape to
l per cent. But his 1896 balloon lost to 4
per cent, the usual amount"
How can he escape with his life if his
balloon fail hiIn?"
There is, / fear, little hope of Andree's
return if any accident happens to his bal
loon. boat is of no service where he is
likely to land, and sledging means maxi
ing but two or three miles a day, and that
shows how meager are the chances of es-
cape even If he have years provisions
He will find little in the way of food where
he would probably land, and he would have
difficulty IN finding bear or seal. The
best chance for food is always around the
archipelago or along the coast where the
ice breaks readily and where seals and
walruses and other game naturally resort
Where will Andree probably emerge, If
at all?''
The chances if he comes out at all are
tnal he Will reach FTdnZ JOSEF land or the
Siberian coast. The vessel that belongs TO
the Jackson exploring expedition, which
has been at Franz Josef land for three
years, left short time ago with provisions
Tor the Jackson party. They carried with
them quantity of provisions for Andree
and the intention is to cache them on Franz
josef land. If Andree could get to New
Siberia island he would lind there cached
provisions left by Baron Won Toll OF the
Russian Imperial Geographical Society," for
hansen two or three years ago"
You do not then believe that Andree will
ever be heard from again."
THOSE CARRIER PIGEONS.
Il very much fear not, but as / have said.
the marvellous is always happening and
Andree may return. / do not place much
reliance in the alleged messages by pigeons
from Andree In the first place II was diff
tlcult to locate latitude 1862. and the expla-
nation offered by learned people does not
make the locality palmer, and i'm the past
carrier pigeons have not made more than
800 miles Andree's birds would have been
obliged to cover two or three times that
distance to bring any word from the bal
loon"
do you know Andree?" General Greedy
was asked.
Il met him and had long talk with him
In London. lie is man of very great
courage and determination. Some people
regard him as crazy | do not His talk
with me indicated that he appreciated his
danger. | think the idea possessed him
that he had an opportunity tc make fame
or even if he failed he would have "A GER
tain fame and deserVedly so by reason of
his pluck and energy. His expedition
marks an episode in Arctic exploration
and If he perishes his name Will always be