South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-10-04
Tourists on This North Pole Summer
Cruise VIII Not Suffer from Fatigue
and Can CoUer as Great q Distance in
One Hour as Dog Sledge Can
Make in Eight Days.,
BN II. VI. NEWMAN.
Traveller and Lecturer.

II may sound strange to hear people talk
about going TO the north pole and back as
a summer cruise but Count Zeppelin and
Prince Henry the latter the brother of the
kaiser, are confident that tourists Will soon
be able 10 visit the north pole the hords of
Norway and 10 see the land. of the mid
night sun
Count Zeppelin and Prince Henry. assist
ed by the German emperor, have already
Undertaken the first long step in making
their daring dream a strong reality.
Last year they went up far as Spitz-
bergen on one of the German steamers
which makes this trip regularly during the
summer months. Count Zeppelin had with
him an air balloon and they made a number
OF ascents to study meteorological conditions
near the north pole They had with them
Prof. Won HergeSell. a German scientist
who has a reputation an aerologist and
is president of the international committee
for scientific aercnautics.
In planning a dash TO the north pole
though they will have to figure with the
wind, they viii have easier work than the
men who made the journey with snow
sledges. Andree was compelled to adhere
10 certain wind conditions He was driven
from his course and was probably drowned
The danger from snow is also unimport-
ant. but the rays OF the sun Will furnish
some difficulties for the sun is constantly
IN the heavens and in the pure atmosphere
throws OF strong rays.
Summer Temperature Around Zero.
In the uneNplored polar districts landings
ITO 4ldtISlllpS VIII U' possible only on Ice
noeS, which are splend1dly suited 10 that
purpose. The reasCent from these foes is
purely a balloon engineering problem. The
low temperature is of small consideration.
for in July and August. the two hot
months, and the period in which the Yep
pelin expedition are planned 10 take place.
the thermometer is never more than slightly
below zero.
Fog. that arch enemy OF the aeronaut in
AL ATTITUDES. is a frequent phenomenon in
the polar regions in the summer hansen.
during his three years voyage i'm the Franz
found an average of 90 foggy DAYS in July
and August on the other hand. the polar
fog is never SO thick but il leaves the sur
face OF the ice visible from an airship and
Is therefore an obstacle that causes Count
Zeppelin Few qualms.
These difficulties are few and easy COM
pared with the trials and hardships en-
countered with sledges and dogs The dogs
often die and many Of the sledges are lost
before half the trip is over. With the
Zeppelin airships every precaution known
20 engineering skill viii be used in their
equipment and there viii be two ships.
the accompanying one 10 be used in case
OF accident.
Nine miles day IS considered good
speed with dogs and many hundreds of
miles have 10 be traversed. while with the
Zeppelin the $40 miles can be made in
eight hours. Eight hours OF combat with
winds and storm is nothing compared with
she binding storms and low temperatures
that the northern explorers have struggled
with FOR days and DAYS at a time. Explorers
in the past have had TO endure these hard
ships, suffering from hunger and resting or
travelling In darkness while the airship can
be equipped with plenty OF food for a DAYS