THE PROPOSED ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Kumara Times, Issue 1084, 22 March 1880, Page 3

THE PROPOSED ARCTIC EXPEDITION.

Commander John P. Clieyne, It. N., responded on Jan. 24 to an invitation frotn the members of the Royal Artillery Institution, at Woolwich, to explain his scheme for the scientific exploration and discovery of the North Pole, by means of a steamer, sledges, and balloons. lie stated that Lord Derby and six members of Parliament had joined the central committee. The hon. members are—Sir Charles Dilke, Mr J. H. Pnleston, Mr William T. Charley, Mr William Gordon, Df: Cameron, and Colonel Alexander. It is proposed to hold a meeting at (he Mansion House shortly, to be presided over by the Lord Mayor, to finally decide on the expedition. The plan sketched is as follows :—lf the estimated cost—viz., £30,000 —is forthcoming, the expedition will start in June. Her Majesty’s Government will be asked to lend their steam storeship Discovery for the purpose. It is also in contemplation that a shooting party in connection with Cook’s tours will accompany the steamer to some of the Arctic bays, where there is some splendid shooting—wild ducks flying about there in flocks of sixty at a time, four or five flocks often passing every minute. Commander Cheyne purposes wintering the first year in as high a latitude as possible. The sledges will start' about March 30, 1881. When the sledges are baffled by obstacles, recourse will be had to balloons. These are expected to start about June next year, at which time the sun will be shiningin the Arctic regions “day and night.” The balloons will be inflated at starting by passing steam through iron tilings, and will be afterwards manipulated by means of a supply of pure condensed hydrogen. Three balloons will be employed, each having a lifting power of I ton to l-£ ton. The balloon party will consist of seven persons, with water and provisions for fifty-one days ; but it is expected they will reach the Noijth. Pole in from thirty to forty hours after leaving the sledges. The exploring party will remain at the North Pole about a week for scientific observation, and "will despatch a balloon to Russia for ibe purpose of telegraphing the neWs to England. The intelligence, it is thought, can be conveyed from the Noith Pole, via St. Petersburg, to London, within three days. The Artie regions will be photographed from. the balloon every hour, the distance to be traversed by the balloon being estimated at 500 miles, Mr Coxwell is to explain the balloon arrangements at the next meeting. The proposal to pay out a small telegraphic wire from the balloon in transitu, so as to join the ship with the North Pole, has been abandoned. It was stated that the Duke of Cambridge had consented to allow military officers to act on Artie committees, and, at the conclusion of the address, it was arranged that a committee—forming the sixtieth of the local committees throughout the country—should be formed.