Arizona republican., 1906-05-13
AIRSHIP AND BOAT 10 THE NORTH POLE
Facts Concerning the Wellman Re-
 rd-Herald Expedition.

Expedition after expedition has been sent out to solve the mystery of the North Pole without success, yet in face of the previous discouraging fail- ures, Walter Wellman, internationally famous as explorer lecturer and news paper correspondent, is soon to under take for the Chicago Record Herald dash to the North Pole in an air ship.
 On two previous occasions, in 1894 and 1899. MT. Wellman has headed polar expeditions, and about the latter part of June. expects to start from Spitzbergen, some 600 miles north Of Hammerfest, Norway, which is within 575 geographical miles of the Pole and it is estimated that the party will be able to make the trip to the North Pole in ten or twelve days.
 The trip will be made during the long daylight months of the year, ard communication with the world will be maintained by means of three wireless telegraph stations. The first will be located at Hammerfest. where connec- tion is had with the Atlantic cable the second will be at Spitzbergen, the headquarters of the expedition, and the third on board of the air ship.
 The air ship in which the Wellman Record Herald expedition Is to make it's dash to the Pole is now being built by Engineer Louis Goddard in Paris It will be approximately 165 feet long, and its greatest diameter will be about 52 feet It will have a lifting power of 16,00O lbs, and the weight of the air ship, with its motors and machinery complete, will be 6,600 lbs. The weight of the crew, instruments, wireless and other apparatus and gasoline. will be 90. 400 lbs. The air ship will be pro pelled by two motors, one of 50, and the other of 25 H. P. driving two screws, and giving a speed of from ten to nineteen miles an hour The length of the car. which is made en- tirely of steel tubing is a little over 52 feet and the engine rooms and cabin for the crew are enclosed.
 Three thicknesses of fabric are be- ing used in the construction of the gas bags of the air ship. two of cotton ma terial and one of silk with three coat ings of pure rubber. All three are con solidated into one fabric, giving great strength.
 Before starting on his trip MT. We'll man expects to be able to manage the big air ship himself, and will make many air ship ascensions and tests in France to perfect himself in the man agement of the dirigible balloon Sus- pended beneath the air ship will be a Mullins steel boat, weighing about 225 pounds and with carrying capacity Of 2.5OO pounds.
 The boats now under construction will be about sixteen feet long by four and a half feet wide amidships. and will be made of pressed steel plates. with high gunwale. Both boats will be completed about May 15 and shipped to Tromsoe, Norway. where the steam CT which will carry the Wellman expe- dition and outfit to its headquarters at Spitzbergen is now lying. After the most severe tests one of the two boats will be selected for the polar exped tion.
 In case of the destruction of the air ship. the steel boat will be used for crossing the long stretches of open water. and will be mounted on sleds for crossing the ice fields. In such event the steel boat would become the most important part of the equipment as it's strength makes it practically in destructibie, whi e its lightness enables 1 it to be handled easily. As the We'll man expedition will take but one boat. 1 it is presumed that Mir Wellman made the most careful search throughout the entire world for the lightest yet strong | est boat which could possibly be built. and 1t is not merely a coincidence that
 the Peary expedition. which recently sailed in search of the North Pole, should also carry a Mullins steel boat as part of its equipment.