The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-09-26
SEEKING THE POLE IN AN AIRsRIP.
The Latest Venture Of This Kind Not
Successful.


ed by explorers who try to reach
the North Pole by old fashioned
methods that more than one per-
son has thought that the use of an
airship would be an improvement.
Twelve years ago daring Swede,
Andree embarked in an ordinary
ballon, with the hope that the pre-
vailing winds would carry him
from his starting point in the
Spitzbergen Islands to his destina-
ton. He was never seen again,
and it is probable that he met with
disaster. There seemed to be a
better chance of accomplishing the
object when machinery was added
to airships for propelling them.
The first man to adopt the improv-
ed means of flight for this purpose
is Walter Wellman. After having
a particularly big and fine vehicle
built in Paris he went to the same
archipelago that Andree had en-
ployed for his preparations.
Wellman planned to made his
final departure for the Pole in 1906
but his airship was not satisfactory
and he abandoned tbe attempt
temporarily. During last winter
he had, the gas bag heightened
sixteen feet, SO as to secure more
buoyanCy, ordered new car and
added more powerful engine than
he had previously. When the
summer of 1907 had advanced far
enough to enable him to reach
Spitzbergen again he sailed from
Northern Norway. During July
and August the wind bothered
him in various ways and dis
courged any effort. About Sep
TENDER he saw that his opportun-
lty was nearly lost. He must start
soon or not at all if he did any
thing this year. The cold increases
and the day light diminishes in
the early autumn. Accordingly
he made desperate attempt, last
ing three and one-half hours. So
vigorous with the breeze that he
was unable to cope with it AS
the direction of the wind was un-
favorable and as the gale itself
made the airship almost unmanage-
able, the only thing to do was de-
sCend and save the lives of the men
in his party. A few days later he
returned to the coast OF Norway,
and he is now on the way to Ger
many.
Until more is known about his
failure, doubts must be entertain.
ed about repetition of the ven
ture. Besides, as the money for
his expedition was supplied by the
publishers of Western newspap-
er, it will be for some one else,
and not Wellman, to say whether
the necessary support will be given
for third campaign.
From short cable dispatches it
would appear that while Wellman
wasin tie air his ship faced breeze
blowing fifteen miles an hour with
out falling back. If the story is
true then his airship in a calm
ought to travel at about that rate.
Such speed (nearly, or quite 800
miles a day would enable the ex-
plorer to reach the pole in two
days and to return in two days un-
der the most favorable circum-
stances. Still, Wellman has appar
emily counted on no such luck. He
has planned to carry food enough
for a week or ten days, and has
claimed that he had more than
enough gasolene for the journey
on board
Some experts believe that the
art of aerial navigation has not yet
been carried so for as to make a
safe journey of POO miles posi-
BILE. If the idea is not feasible to-
day, however, it may be ter or
fifteen years hence. If by that
time the Pole has not been con-
quered by other means, it is pretty
sure to surrender to a man who
possesses the qualities of an
aeronaut as well as those of an ex-