The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-29
The Fate of Andree,

NJ Iachambre. the aeronaut. who
made the balloon in which his friend n.
Andree started on his journey 70 the
North Pole on the 1lth of July. 1857. has
again explained his reason why he does
not despair Of seeing him one day hack
in France safe and sound. He says that
when Andres flew his third pigeon. which
Is the only one THAI was found. he had
previously indicated his position and com
planned % being carried westward. which
would throw light or the satisfaction
shown by him in returning southwark.
Il may. therefore. be regarded as almost
certain that the balloon passed within
nifty or sixty miles 10 the east OF the
Seven Islands OF SpitZbergen. where the
pigeon was found
Dir. Walter WeilmsH. who IS very COM
petent In such matters, and : himself
preparing a Polar expedition. declares
that under such meteorOloglc conditions
the balloon must have been carried frst
southwark over the open portion OF the
Bering Sea, and then towards Franz Jo-
SET Land If the passengers IA the car
OF the balloon then touched terra firma.
it could not have been elsewhere than
within the limited space between the Ber-
ing Sea, SpitBbergen. Nova Zemola %
the south, and Franz Josef Land, and
the Polar Ocean 20 the north-that : 70
say, beyond the eighty-tifth or eighty
sixth parallel
II IS thought improbable that the aero
naut drifted as far as Siberia or Nova
Zembla, for in that case they would GER
taiuly have succeeded in communicating
with the civilized world. The general
movement OF the tempest which prevailed
towards the East pTecludes the hypOth-
esis of the balloon having drifted TO-
wards Greenland or Spitzoergeu. NJ. La
chambre therefore. considers there can
be but three hypothesis concerning the
spot AZ which the balloon touched ground.
The first Is that II reached Franz Josef
Land. In that case Anorce would have
recognized the impossibility Of proceed
ing northward. and would have come
southwark. The explorers would have
easily reached Cape Ezra, on the eight
ieth parallel. where Jackson left COM
Portable house and abundant provisions
for wintering. II they had failed in reach
ing that spot they would. according TO
NJ Lachambre certainly have been able
to construct ice-houses for themselves
and TO shoot sufficient bears, seals. ana
moose to feed upon. The second hypothe-
sis Is that the balloon fell into the sea
TO the southeast OF Spitzbergen. Being
questioned a few days before his depart
ure as to what he would do IL such an
accident happened. Andree replied. We
shall be drowned" The third hypothesis
is that the balloon may have been car
RED 10 the northeast OF Franz Josef
Land. In that case the aeronauts would
probably have persisted. IN admitting that
they reached the ice-feds OF the Polar
Ocean, with their equipment and guns,
they would, In eight weeks march. have
been able 10 reach land But With the
exception Of a stray bear they would have
had nothing to live on With the provis-
ions they carried with them Il would have
been necessary for them TO reach land
before the end of September 1897. and In
that case news would certainly have been
received from them before now.
Summing up his opinion. NJ. Lachambre
SAYS that il the balloon fell iQto the SET.
the aeronauts were drowned; II Il fell on
the ice-fioes to the southeast OF Spitzber-
gen. they have probably perished: but
If they had reached Franz Josef Land.
Andree and his companions would almost
certainly have been safe, and IN that case
they would have bebeu found last sum
mer in Jackson's house at Cape Flora.
NJ Lachambre has not, however. lost
hope. He considers II quite possible that
Andree reached the North Pole and land
Ell from his balloon on the further side
Of IT, and that he was obliged 10 winter
where the balloon fell. No reasonable
conviction can be formed before the eK-
piration OF three years. II, after the eN-
piration OF that period. from the day Of
his departure. Andree has neither return
ed nor been heard Of IL Is only then that
he might be regarded as having persisted.
Paris Correspondence London Standard,
January g.