THE FATE OF ANDREE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXIX, Issue 101, 30 April 1898, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE FATE OF ANDREE.

WHAT HAS BECOME OF THE SEEKER OF THE NORTH POLE?

Axel Stake, the Swedish chemist, who inflated the 'Omen,' Andree's balloon, when it went on its flight to the Pole, is now living in New York city. He is probably the only person in the United States who saw the balloon disappear over the northern horizon. He is preparing to take part in.another expedition which soon will start to the Arctic regions — not by balloon, btit in a plain, old - fashioned steam vessel. It would seem from this that he does not take much stock in balloons as a mode of Arctic conveyance, and, as a matter of fact, his diary .as an eye-witness of Andree's departure does not look encouraging. According- to Mr Stake's account, Andree was reluctant to go on the day tlie start was made and wanted to wait a day. He lost two-thirds of his drag ropes before he left the shore, and was compelled to'throw out a large amount of ballast and waste a lot of gas before he floated out of sight of the workmen on shore.

.It was Andree's belief that the balloon might float more than a month, but Dr. Elkholm gave it as his expert opinion that it could not possibly float more than fifteen days at tho very most. Mr Stake says that while Andree's balloon Avas the 'tightest' ever made, yet the gas would escape in spite of all that could be done to prevent it. This fact, coupled with the handicapping- the voyageurs received at the start, makes it look bad for the success of the expedition.

THEY MAY HAVE ESCAPED

(lf the balloonists managed to land safely on Franz Josef Land,' said Mr Stake, 'they may have been able to pull through the winter by erecting a hut and hunting for food, as has been pointed out. It may be that they have gono too far north to sustain themselvfs in this manner. On the other hand, they may have descended into the ocean, although in the latter event they had one meagre, chance left open to them. It has been said that Andree acted in an ill-advised manner' when he plaoed' .his 'provisions ■in packages in^the ropes of his balloon, rather than in the basket in which he and his companions were to live. It has been said that if the basket had been overturned the balloonistswould have been spilled out, and the balloon relieved of their Weight would immediately bound into the air and carry away with it their precious food. But Andree's conclusions in this matter showed him to have been moye far-sighted than his critics. His idea was that the balloon might descend into the sea, in which case he and his companions would be compelled to take to those very ropes themselves. Then, by cutting loose the basket beneath them, the balloon would rebound into the air and carry upward, not only the aeronauts, but their precious food as well.

HAVE THEY FOUND THE POLE?

■ 'So it is highly problematical. Under fortunate circumstances the explorers might exist several years in the Arctics regions. Everything that could be dpne to insure the success of the trip Avas done before they started. They were provided with every necessary of life; they had provisions, arms, ammunition, sledges, and a boat. They might, if they are on the mainland, gradually journey southward, in which case we shall hear of them before long. If they dropped into the ocean they are lost. If they have reached the Polar cap and wrecked their balloon, they undoubtedly have found the great spot which so many have striven to find; but whether they will ever be .able to tell its mysteries to the world is another question which I would rather not be asked to answer.'