The Monmouth inquirer., 1926-04-01
n eros. e. sD..Bsrssn. create. oIas.

NOuANAl VI lnC dtAlCu anu dGSOCAdlC0
powers gave the complete ownership
of the group to Norway, but provided
that the contracting parties, including
the United States, should have min
ing rights.
For some time nearly half a million
dollars worth of furs, oil. and elder
down have been taken from Spitsber-
gen annually. But the important po-
tential values are in mining. Eighty
five per cent of the mineral areas are
controlled by two British concerns.
The list of minerals known to exist in
Spitsbergen gives a surprising boost
to Arctic lands as possible providers
of supplies needed by the rest of the
world. Coal heads the list good coal
and millions of tons of it. Another
fuel source is oil shale, large areas
of which have been located; and some
biologists who have worked in the Is
lands feel confident that petroleum
will be discovered. In addition there
are beds of asbestos, gypsum, lead and
copper ores, and a number of unusual
minerals. Recently a prospector for
one of the British companies discOv-
cred the largest deposit of colored
marble known to exist anywhere in
the world. There are important beds
of iron ore and, not far away, lime
stone. Where good supplies of coal,
iron ore. and limestone occur together
in other parts of the world, steel man
ufacture has sprung up, and there are
optimists who believe that some day
great blast furnaces will be In oper-
alton on these Arctic islands.
Delightful In Summer.
The Gulf stream, which does so
much to ameIiorate European climate,
lends helping hand, too, to Splits
bergen. During the three months of
continual darkness when the mercury
drops farthest, it seldom is lower than
20 degrees below zero Fahrenheit. 1t
is actually warmer than in Winnipeg
and other Canadian cities. Halfway
around the year, of course, there are
three months Of continual sunlight
June, July and August During these
months Spitsbergen has one of the
most delightful and exhilarating eli
mates on earth. One traveller has
compared it to May in the alps.
Tourist traffic was getting to be an
important factor in Spitsbergen just
before the World war, when shiploads
of sightseers were taken to the Is
lands from Norway, Sweden and Ger
many. Those who now live in Splits
bergen find it possible to make them
selves entirely comfortable.
Not the least interesting aspect of
Spitsbergen is its wild life Wild
reindeer or caribou, polar bears,
ptarmigan, geese. ducks, and other
birds were so plentiful that hunters
fiocked to the islands in the summer
before the World war and were threat
ening the determination of several
species. A party of tourists in one
summer killed more than one hundred
caribou, leaving the carcasses where
they fell and taking with them only
a few of the finest heads and antlers.
This situation has been corrected
since Norway was recognized as hav-
ing sovereignty over the islands.
One of the most daring schemes of
polar exploration ever attempted, that
in free balloon by S. A. Andre of
Sweden, was made from Spitsbergen.
A member of the Swedish internation-
al polar expedition of 1SS2-1SS3 and
an areonaut of some experience, An
Dire succeeded in commanding for his
plan the active support of Oscar, king
of Sweden, NJ. Alfred Nobel, and
Baron Oscar Dickson.
The balloon, named Ornen (The
Eagle), had its load of about five tons
Of food, ballast, freight, and men, and
from measurements of escaping gas
had fiotation life of about thirty
days. Accompanying Andre were NJ
Strindberg and NJ. Fraenkel On the
afternoon of July II. 1897, the lines
were cut, and the balloon assembled
about 800 feet. Suddenly 1t descend
ed to the surface of the sea, possibly
owing to an ENHANCEMENT Of the guide
ropes, and then rose again as the ropes
were cut or broken and ballast
thrown out The wind carried the
balloon across the mountainous island
of Vogelsang. making it necessary to
rise to some 1900 feet, whence it
passed out of sight In an hour, below
the northeast horizon. AS the balloon
had at its best fiotation life OF 30
days, it is obvious that the report Is
erroneous of its appearance in 81
IBERIA 65 days later.
Three message buoys were found la
ter, all dropped by Andre on July II,
the date Of his departure, which fur
nish brief news of the course Of the
daring aeronaut Beyond these buoys
have been found no traces, despite re-
peated search in Arctic regions.