New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-25
TO FLY TO SOUTH POLE.
Count de la VauLr ArTiUeS 1gith Plans
of Daring Balloon Venture.

Within A week Count Henri de Ia Vaulx. who
arrived yesterday on La Savoie. viii make an
ascension. at West Point II weather conditions
are favorable. Later several may be made at
Pittsheld Count de Ia VaulX brought with him
three balloons, the Centaure OF a capacity OF
1900 cubic metres; Lorient, 1000 cubic metres
and L'Udion. 600 cubic metres. He announced
yesterday his plan for reaching the South Pole
He also brought with him plans OF a recently
invented machine for the production OF hydro
gen gas in which the members OF the Aero
Club OF New York are much interested.
While Count de Ia Vaulx does not believe that
Walter Wellman's plan to reach the North Pole
by balloon will be successful-"co courageous but
not practicable" was his comment-he is plan
ming to reach the South Pole through the same
agency. His partner in this scheme is Dr.
Charcot. the French explorer and son Of the
famous physician Many rich and influential
men in France have approved OF the venture
and considerable financial support already has
been pledged.
The venture. which will require at least two
years preliminary preparation. win take more
in execution. The counts plan is to convey
several balloons to the south polar fee cap, on
the edge of which he viii establish huge base
Of supplies. When favorable wind arrives a
balloon laden with a great quantity of pro-
visions and equipment Will be started toward
the pole. At suitable distance the balloon will
be landed and its load carefully cached.
The eronauts will then return to the vessel
and a second balloon sent aloft to travel a dis
tanoe past the first one. where another lot Of
supplies viii be stored. This VIII be repeated
until line OF supplies will extend from the base
to within striking distance Of the Pole Com
munlcatiOn with the main base will be kept up
by wireless telegraUhy. In discussing the Well
man plan to reach the North Pole. Count de Ia
Vaulx pointed out that no dirigible balloon ex-
cepting that Of Lebaudy had been able TO stay
up more than four hours
The stay of the count in this country WIN be
short. ne must return in five weeks to take
part In the race for the James Gordon Bennett
Aeronautcal Cup. This and other important
ae~onauticaI events will keep him abroad until
it will be too late to undertake an attempt to
break the worlds record for long distance bal
loon trip which was established by the count
himself when he went from Paris TO Kief a dis
tance Of 1900 miles, in thirty-one hours in the
Centaure.
This country is the only place in which he
can try for this record. In Europe he travel
in only direction, eastward. A year from
next fall he plans to visit this country to make
a flight from Denver or some point on the east
ern slope of the Rockies to Boston or New York
The count was met at the pier by Courtland
Field Bishop. Augustus Post. Lez Stevens and
NJ Charles Levee, the French seronaut. Count
de la VaulN wore the ribbon Of the Legion Of
OF Honor which was presented TO him by the
French government for the valuable work aC-
complished by him when exploring the wild
and untraveled sections OF Patagonia. He is
also sportsman and author.
The count viii lecture before the United
States Military Academy at West Point prOba-
bly, Wednesday OF Thursday. and make an as
censiOn there
The count will deliver a lecture to the Aero
Club and the automobile Club on April 3, when
a reception will be given 20 him. The place for
this has not vet been determined on, but il
is thought that some large hall viii have to be
procured unless some member Of either club
will open his home for the purpose.
In the race for the Bennett Cup, starting from
the Garden OF the Tuilleries September 80 in
which Count de la Vaulx represents France, he
says that his country stands the best chance
to win the cup. The closest competitor that
the French entries will have he thinks, will be
St DuerO. the president of the Aero Club Of
Madrid The United States. represented by
-DumOnt and Mr.. Lain, he places third
Another contest in which the count will appear
Is the race from Berlin october 10