Herr Andree's Balloon.

Manawatu Herald, 21 August 1897, Page 2

Herr Andree's Balloon.

The interest taken in Arctic and Antarotio discovery is greater than it has ever been before, and enthusiastic explorers seem determined to wreßt from Nature the secrets of her ice-bound Polar ciroles. The news of Lieutenant de Gerlaohe's departure for the Antarotio regions has been promptly followed by the acoount of a message reported to have been sent by Dr S. A. Andree from above the 82nd degree of latitude. The cablegram published in our columns has, we fear, undergone som9 mutilation in transit, but the general meaning seems to be that a sealing captain to the north of the wellknown Spitzbergen group of islands shot a pigeon which was carrying a message from Dr And) 6s. The letter bore the explorer's signature, but the date was illegible, and the 82nd parallel is not more than 80 or 90 miles from the Doctor's point of departure. Consequently it would seem that the bird waa flown soon after the start from Dane's Island and that the letter does not convey very much information after all. The balloon and car used by Dr Andrea were designed by Dr Eckhofrn, a very experienced aeronaut, who had originally intended to accompany the expedition, but in the meantime married a wife who brought such pressure to bear upon tba unfortunate savant as put a premature end to his ballooning days. The most remarkable part of the mechanism ia the steering gear. The billoon is " direoted by a sail adjustable so as to make its shifting action bear, for determining the course, upon several retarding points below, which are provided by ropes and ballast or weights, to lie upon the ground or the ice, or to be managed by the aid of boats where there is a space of open water." The guiding apparatus may be briefly described as consisting mainly of three ropes of different lengths, the shortest about 1000 ft and the longest -1200 ft in length. These ropes hang from the bearing ring above the car, and drag after the balloon, being shifted by the voyager as he wills, so that their weight and hold on the balloon shall affect the course. With this contrivance Dr Andree believes be can

steer in a direction 27 degrees off that of the wind. Dr Andrea is about 40, and an engineer by profession ; his two companions, Herren Strindbcrg and Franckcl, are only about 25 years of age, but enthusiastic and expert scientists. Depdts of provisions have been provided along the line of route where accessible, and the course proposed is almost the same as that taken by Dr Nansen.— Post.