BALLOON EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH POLE.

Manawatu Herald, Volume II, Issue 29, 2 December 1879, Page 3

BALLOON EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH POLE.

■ ■ • ' — » — - Our readers are probably aware, -says the London, Graphic- that an influential Central Committee has. been formed, to which forty-nine provincial committees are affiliated, For the purpose of organising an expedition to the North Pole on the plan recommended by Commander Oheyne, R.N., who is strongly of opinion, that balloons will form an important element in all future Arc tic- explorations. Our illustration depictsthe three balloons as ready to start from the winter quarters of the §hip during the first week, in June, their destination beingu_the~Northf Pple. The average temperature in the eaily part of June is about 25deg. Fahr. The balloons are named Enterprise, Resolute, and Discovery j each will be capable of lifting-a ton in weight, ..the three parrying a '•■■• sloftge paity 'intact, with stores and provisions for nftysone days. The ascelit will be made bn o the curve of '. s "a iftughl^';' ascertained wind circle, 1 : a y cbntmsticin of which curve will cttWy'ihem to the Pole, but should . the, said curve] defie(it ri then the re-" ; 'jquireA of air can again be ' btrucl by v^sjne to the requisite altitude,, as proved by experiment? that different currents of air exist according to altitude ; this fact Commander Oheyne .himself observed when, in charge:of-the~government balloons in his lastexpeditiba^iejaent^up. four at the same moment at different al> titudes ; being- differently weighted, tnelfou* quarters of the' compasss, giving him his first practical idea of ballorfarng' ',' li the' Arctic regions. Captaiy 1 Temple's experiments with the war'balloons ,from Woowlich Ar-" eenal Have .fully confirmed the im- '■' 'pbrtant desideratum in serostationAbout thirty hours would suffice to ilp^ji. our aeronauts from the ship to the I*6le, should all go well* We a,9ked Qommander Cheyne how he was going to get back ; his answer was cautious : — «.' ' According to circumstances," he said. "My first duty is they took four different directions to to get there. Whan there leave it us to go back. We have many uncertainties to deal with, and a deprogramme made now might changed when the time 'tame to carry on the journey south. Condensed gas would le taken in steel cylinders, hills would be floated over by expansion and contraction of the'balloons, and in the event of any accident occurring, we always have our sledge party with sledge, boat, sjpres/ pnd provisions' forfiity days intact a4^ ready for service." """Scotland has . taken up -• th i s novelty m Ardtib'exploratiori with avidity;' and England, though more cautious in the matter, has at last given her adhesion to the project being carried out. Canada, is likely to join, and Com mander Cheyne has received an in--1 vitatibnftoio the -Oanadran iltinister of Finance,§ir Samuel Tilley, X.C.8., to deliver his lectures in Canada, with the promise of a warm reception.: