The daily morning journal and courier., 1907-08-23

lfight will be ascertained by means of lcompasses. A log lowered to the earth's surface will give the velocity at which the machine is travelling. In order to ascertain position a sextant has been fitted up with spirit level, which will give the horizon accurately. There is also a second sextant equip lped with gyroscope similar to that used by the French navy on its suSA- marines. It will be used to ascertain lthe correct sea level By means of these instruments the navigators of
 the strange craft will be able to ascer- tain exactly where they are.
 The distance from Danes island to the pole Is known to be Cts miles. The Espeed of the America in still atmos- phere is estimated at Is miles an hour and every hour the driving motor is In operation 1t consumes A pounds of gasoline out of a store of $500 pounds carried. The fuel supply, therefore provides for 150 hours of steady mo- toring at the rate of 15 miles an hour during which time 2,250 miles can be covered Thirty hours more steady progress has been provided for by an Interesting arrangement whereby sur ' plus gas from the balloon is to be used to drive the motor, making the maxi mum distance the machine will be able to travel in still atmosphere, by means of it's own motive power D. | zoo miles The distance to the pole and back Is only 1,236 miles, so that in the matter of power there is a margin of more than twice the amount required
 It Is not the intention to attempt to travel against adverse winds, but to anchor when the breeze is not favor able or when the atmosphere is not comparatively quiet. To use fixed
 anchor with so large an airship so heavily loaded would mean a strain Iupon the light material that might tspell disaster in a gale or heavy adverse wind. In order to get over
 this possible contingency drag an
 chor has been devised which the ex-
 plorer calls a "retarder." It Is com
 posed of a steel cable fastened to the
 front of the car and the end that is lowered has sharp-pointed steel
 prongs which are designed to tear through the ice and snow, holding
 back the ship in her backward pro- lgress, but not absolutely stopping her.
 In order not to court death from
 the America rising too high in course
 of the voyage in the rarified Arctic
 at mosphere, more, ballast was found
 to be necessary than that afforded by
 the load of fuel and supplies proposed Ito be carried, Ordinarily sand bal
 last is carried by aeronauts to meet
 this difficulty, but MT. WeIlman had
 an objection to carrying useless :. weight. The idea was conceived of E using two guide ropes, one at either end of the car The difficulty then
 presented itself of how to give these
 guide ropes the required weight In or 7 der to perform the function required lin the handling of the large ship. An Iordinary steel cable would not only cut through the crust of snow generally : found upon the surface of the polar lice foes and so offer great resistance,
 but it would also sink in the water land become a dead weight, dragging the ship down, What was wanted
 was a snake, a gliding serpent, riding
 the snow crust instead of cutting
 through it, and swimming. if need be,
 upon the water Above all the in-
 terior of this serpent" must be stuff
 ed full of good food, so that the se- curing of the required weight would
 be attended with the additional ad-
 vantage of carrying material of real
 usefulness in case of need.
 The two ''serpents' were finally
 made of leather fashioned into long tubes six inches in diameter. They
 were divided into 1S' sections, each 10 fleet in length, so that if water leaked into one. the others would not be af- lfected. Within the skin of the ser
 pents" was packed specially prepared flood, such as ham, bacon, bread and butter, so arranged that even if little salt water did penetrate the skin it would do small damage to the fat meats composing the outside lay
 CTS. In order that the leather GOV ering might not be torn by'coming 1T contact with rough Ice surface, tho
 outside was covered with fine stee scales like those of a fish. These
 scales not only protect the cover from abrasion, but provide smooth sur 1, face, enabling the 'serpents" to glide lover Ice, snow or water with the leas possible resistance.
 .. Both these guide ropes are worked
 lon the same cable, which passes through winch in the car and k
 therefore under the control of tht Icrew. One can be raised at time and the other let down, or both car !, he lowered at once. At the star of the voyage 1,4OO pounds is to bt 7 lthe weight of the guide rope "ser .. Ipents" trailing along the ice fields. Al Ithe load upon the car of the ship i' frightened by the amount of gasoline !, fused to drive the motor, instead of let , ting out gas to equalize matters th'
 heavy guide ropes with their trailing "serpents" come into use. The ten Idencv of the ship to rise higher as it e load becomes lighter will be checked Ibv the weight of the guide rope Ser 7 Ipents" which will be lifted from thu | lice foes into the air and thus add t' ? her load in proportion as the con tents of the gasoline tank are con ,. lsumed. In a case of emergency thes' ! "serpentsn can be torn open and ovel thousand pounds of good food pro
 vided for the aeronauts. In case 0