The Washington herald., 1909-07-18
NAY FLY TO The POLE.
Zeppelin Has High Hopes for
Northern Expedition.
IN HIS DIRIG1BLE AIRSHIP
Object Said to BE to Explore Green
land, but Balloon Wffl Be Ready
for Flight 10 the Limit II weather
Is GOOd-Germans Are Urging the
AerOnaut to Make the Attempt.

London, July Notwithstanding the
statement given out that Prof. Hergesen
TO the effect that the main object OF
the proposed Zeppelin expedition from
Spitzbergen next year would be &c explore
northern Greenland, there is little doubt
that with favorable weather conditions
a flight 10 the north pole VIII be at
tempted The German papers are unani-
nous IN urging Count Zeppelin, on patri
otic grounds. 20 plant the German flag
on the pole. Count Zeppelin's friends
favor the scheme and are confident that
the attempt will be successful
Dr. Eckener. one OF Zeppelin's inti-
mates. is Of the opinion that the north
pole will be much more easily attained
by dirigible airship than the south pole
for many reasons. the first being that no
such severe gales are anticipated as at
the south pole. which, as Lieut.. Shackle-
ton discovered, IS situated on an ele-
waited plateau.
Proturberances on the earth's surface.
such as mountain ranges and forests.
offer a resistance 10 air currents which
results in those dangerous gusts that
have proved fatal 70 many an airship.
This friction is nonexistent in the arc
tic regions. always supposing that the
ice covered Arctic Ocean extends beyond
the pole itself, for which belief there is
every ground. Scores Of experiments
carried out with kites and register bal
looms. between the seventy-second and
eighty-secOnd degrees north latitude.
have shown that wind was only twice OBJ
served at heights exceeding 1.oO0 feet
above which. as a rule. almost complete
calm reigned.
May be Successful.
The same result has been obtained by
Dr. Nansen during his Fran expedition.
Severe thunderstOrms and rains such as
encountered by Count Zeppelin on land
are not believed 10 occur with frequency
around the pole Assuming that opera
tiOns would be inadVisable with z wind
blowing az the rate OF more than twelve
miles an hour, experiments at sea level
have shown that IN the month OF July
this rate Is rarely reached. while IN June
also there are lengthy periods OF COMPARE
tive calm. Seeing that the sun IN polar
regions remains half a year above the
horizon. there would be 10 great danger
u sudden variations IN the temperature
which cause loss OF gas and ballast
The shortness OF the distance between
Spitzbergen and the pole. about Coo miles
ought TO make Il possible. so Count Yep
pelin's friends think. for a dirigible air
ship 10 accomplish the Journey during
the period OF polar calm in twenty
hours. The new Zeppelin airship will
have a capacity OF 80 horsepower
benzine motors. two OF which could keep
the airship afoat for seventy hours. or
with one working for 10 hours
Back 10 Spitzbersen.
Thus Il would be possible to reach the
pole and come back 10 Spitzbergen OF
effect a landing IN eastern Siberia, Green
land or northern Alaska, distances OF. say.
1.S00 miles. The return from these In
hospitable regions would. however. be an
expedition IN itself: hence preference is
given 20 the idea OF returning TO the
base on Spitzbergen.
Fog IS another enemy 20 be reckoned
with, though Il IS held that il is never
so dense IN the polar regions as TO OBJ
struct the view OF the ice beneath. and
steering can be effected with the aid OF
a compass by day and with the help OF
the stars by night
Asked for his opinion Lieut.. Shackleton
says that be Is no eeronaUt and knows
nothing about the north pole. This.
however. he does know. that It would
be impossible. owing 20 the severe gales
prevailing IN the antarctic. for an air
ship TO conquer the south pole.
But from meteorological viewpoint he
thinks It Is quite within the bounds OF
possibility that success would attend
Zeppelin's dash on the north pole. He
advises. however. that sledges be taken
on board for use IN an emergency HIS
sledge motors. he says. never gave him
any trouble. although the seldges them
selves proved useless in hummock strewn