The times., 1898-04-05
BOUND FOR KL0NDIKE.
French BnIloonists viii Search for
Gold and Andree.

New York, April 4.-From Paris there
arrived yesterday most wonderful bal
!oon, in charge of a party of scientists
sent out by the French Geographical So
ciety.
With it the gold fields of Alaska are to
be inspected, mapped and studied. ana
Andree is to be searched for. 1t is also
the intention to hunt up and locate the
North Pole.
The head of the expedition is Antony
Varicle, a member of the Geographical
Society, and The founder of the French
Electrical Engineers Society. He has
aiken up aeronautics only within the last
two years. but he has made the most
successful air voyage on record
Accompanying him are DR.. Arthur
Terwagne, secretary of The expedition;
Nj. Ferret geologist; Leon Bureau, civil
engineer and mining expert; Henry
Boullier. aeronaut; Nj. Richard and M.
Magnier, carpenters. Mrs Boullter is
also here, but will not so on the balloon
voyage.
The balloon, packed in twelve large
cases, came over with them on La Bre-
tagne, and NJ. Varicle did not leave the
ship for the Hotel Martin until he had
satisfied himself that it had not been in
jured. The party will today buy twen-
y tons of iron filings. besides ascertain
ing whether the customs authorities will
let their belongings go through to Ju
neau free of duty. If Collector Bid
well decides adversely, the balloon will
be taken in bond through to Glenora, B.
C.
NJ. Varicle and his companions told all
about the great balloon, DR.. Terwagne
acting as spokesman.
please understand" said he. that this
is neither relief expedition nor
moneymaking scheme. 1t is a scientific
expedition, sent out by the French gov
| ernment. We are to study the geo
graphical, geological typographical, me-
| neurological and aerostatic conditions of
Alaska. from Juneau 10 the Klondike,
! and we shall also recommend a route for
! a railway.
I'VE hope to start making the hydro
| gen for our balloon in Juneau by May
l. 1t takes four days to generate the
| 1000 cubic meters of gas for the bal
loon, and that done We shall start off
! Only four of us will go on the trip-MM
! Varicle, Ferret, Bureau and myself
I'VE can give no idea of the length
| of the trip for we have new conditions
to meet and study, but | am sure that
| we will succeed 1t now takes two
| weeks for a quick trip across Chilkoot
pass to Dawson City. We ought to do
this in side of two days We will not
| take any relief supplies with us, but, of
come back and get some.
After we have finished our work we
shall make a trip in search of our very
| good friend Andree. We do not believe
| that he is dead. We think he is strand
| ed in some little Siberian village.
| DIR. Terwagne then explained the
| workings of the balloon. It has not
the familiar top shape. 1t looks more
like a great sausage lying on its side
| Just beneath the balloon, running its full
| length is a wooden boom. on which is
| swung the car. The car can by means
of guide ropes be hauled along the boom
to either end of the balloon when it is
necessary to trim ship"
Extending from the car to the balloon
is a large square sail that can be spread
! in any direction. In the center of the
car is the frame of a triplet bicycle. the
| power from which goes TO either far
| at the stern for propulsion of one un-
| derneath for ascension oJTifder the cal
are runners, and it may be used as
sled. Iron scoops attached to ropes will
hang from the boom. These scoops will
be fitted with snow, ice or earth as bal.
last. to enable the aeronauts to keer
about seventy-fve feet from the ground
With sail and fans Mr.. Varicle car
beat against the wind just as a shiI
tacks. He claims that not a particle OF
gas can escape, and is certain that ht
can stay afioat in the air for at least
week. He recently spent thirty-foul
hours above the earth with this balloon
and on January "A. of this year. flew from
Paris to Hamburg in twenty-four hours
just the time il took him to get back By
train.