The Washington times., 1906-01-06
COMPLETING PLAN
FOR TRIP TO POLE
WelIman Accepts Weather
Expert as Companion.
EXPEDITION DISCUS E D
old Hands az Arctic Region Charac-
teristics Give Views of the
Coming Venture.

The WeIlman polar expedition re
ceived a great boost yesterday in the
selection of Major Henry B. Hersey. OF
the Jnitea states Weather Bureau of
Milwaukee. Wis. TO accompany Mr..
Welmau on his trip to the pole II
Secretary Wilson approves Major
Hersey will doubtless sail as the Of
fetal representative OF the United
States Weather Bureau and be second
in command
lie is q we'll trained meteo-ologist.
having been In the Government weather
service at various stations. including
Ithaca. y Y. for the past twenty
years,
Although over forty-four years o.
age and single he is stin possessed OF
the same veuturesome spirit which
carried him from his Office At the
weather station In 1898 to observe the
storms OF Mars in the Spanish Ameri-
can war Hearing OF the latest polar
expedition he came on 10 Washington
and after an interview with Mr. Well
mar was accepted to partake of the
dclights of a start from SpitZbergen In
spIinJeTed peaks ana icy bays"
Praised by Chief Moore
la discussing Major Hersey Chief
Moore. OF the Weather Bureau, spoke
p highly of him this morning. and said
that If his proposed "Trip is approved
by Secretary Wilson the Major wilt
have fun charge of the observations TO
be made for the Weather Bureau.
mont" continued Mr.. Moore, "3nd is
well trained for the task before him"
In considering the outlook for the sue
cess of the expedition. Mr.. Moore said:
1t is a hazardous undertaking. bat
with the improvements made in aereal
navigation since the Andree expedition
il seems quite possible that the feat
may be performed The extremely low
temperature in the polar regions need
not cause worry. as that should be
counted an advantage II anything. IT
viii give the balloon greater buoyancy.
because the air is denser.
IF they launch their ship from SptZ-
bergen as they intend 10 do in July,
they viii get a wind directly favorable
10 flight To the pole. This July wind
is a mild south-easterly breeze Their
flight. If taken in that region. I'm the
month of July is more certain 10 prove
long disJarced Than if taken in this
latitude They would not have the vio-
lent local thundcrstorms that We have
here. ard that would be encountered in
a middle latitude"
Prof. Bell Interested.
Prof Alexander Graham Bell. who has
given much of his time and expended a
considerable sum OF money in studying
and experimenting with kites TO solve
the aereal navigation problem. is much
interested in the Wellman expedition.
Il wish IT success" he said last night
10 Il reporter of The Times. but l do
not hesitate to say 1 consider the ven
ture an extremely hazardous one. The
enCiTcling Of Eifel Tower with one Of
Santos Dumonrs dlrigible flying ma
chimes was indeed great feat. No
doubt wonderful improvements have
been made in aerial navigation since
the day of poor Andree. The difficulty
is TO steer balloons in strong winds"
One Of Prof. Bells intimate friends.
however. declared that it is no secret
that Prof. Bell believes Dumont is on
the wrong track for solving aerial nav
igatiOn II Mr. Bell considered the
dirigible balloon feasible" he Contin-
ued. you may count on IT that he would
not be taking up his valuable time with
tetrahedTal kites and birdshaped con-
trivanCes- Prof Bell knows. as do many
others. that the big balloon is big
bIunder in a wind Of twenty or more
miles velocity.
''Of course We DO not know what kind
of breeze blew in Andrce's face as he
tackled toward the pole. Scientists the
world over however. know that when
Herr Andrce' ascended from Danes
Island or that Inflated Sunday morning
of july II, 1897. with his companions.
Fraenkei and Strindberg. the south
easterlv breeze that carried him to his
doom had a speed of twenty-five miles
an hour. God help Weilman and Her
sey if they expect TO direct the move
ments OF big balloon in even such
breeze as that"
Nor was the opinion Of Gen \. w.
Greedy. who has had a taste OF the ''icy
bays" and a close personal contact with
Arctic glaciers and spiintered peaks.
more optimistic 81 cannot tell YOU
much about the Wellman expedition"
he said in his office al the War De-
partmenT. but with regard to flying
machines of the balloon species | hold
today the same opinion that Il balloon
under stress does not hold its gas as
i did when / talked with Andree at
the London geographical congress in
lSq5. told him that there Is as much
difference between balloon in the
Arctic regions ready for work and that
OF one in Il temperate cline, as between
u horse standing quietly In Il we'll
sheltered stable and one weatherine IL
out i'm the rough fields balloon
wherever YOU find IL is like baby, re-
quiring the best of care. the greatest
OF attention
DO you think there is a chance Of
the Wellman party finding a trace OF
Arsas Tor "a
chemical trace of his expedition"
II do not answered the general
laughing "even considering the pre-
servative feature of that climate. What
chance of finding anything of Andree
If he fell in the water If on land
what would the Polar bears leave of
him.
,,n.o,a, H-a,on