BALLOON EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH POLE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXVIII, Issue 7969, 21 February 1906, Page 3

BALLOON EXPEDITION TO THE NORTH POLE.

The new dirigible baloon >n which Mr Walter Wellman and M. Santos Damon t are to attempt to reach the North Pole, is to be built on the plan of that in which the Brazilian aeronaut circumnavigated the Eiffel Tower. A Paris message states that, undismayed by Andre's fate, M. Dumont of success. The, balloon will be 196 ft long, with a maximum diameter of 49ft, 'and a cubic capacity of 22.600 ft. It will carry three motors capable of developing a force equal trf 70 horseDower. The expedition will proceed early next summer to Spitzbergen, where a base camp will be established. Thence the aerial voyage to the Pole will be taken. The distance is about 500 geographical miles, and allowing for contrary winds add adverse atmospheric conditions, it is estimated that on the journey to the Pole and back to Spitzbergen, the aeronauts would have to traversw about 1.200 miles. An average speed of 12 miles an hour would consequently enable them to do the double journey in 100 hours, but as M. Dumom in his aerial trips has attained a speed as high as 23 miles an hour, it is calculated that it should be practicable to accomplish it in. considerably less time.