BY AIRSHIPs TO THE POLE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 166, 13 July 1907, Page 9

BY AIRSHIPs TO THE POLE.

While Lieutenant Shackleton is laying his plans in London for an attack on the South Pole with motor-car and ponies, Mr. Walter Wellman is meditating a trip to the North Pole in an ieft London this weefc for Norway to complete his arrangements. Undismayed'by the failure ■of the ill-fated Andre, N who lost his life in the endeavour to reach the Pole by balloon, Mr. Wellman believes that his new flying machine will carry him and a party of ten or twelve men, with twelve dogs and the necessary provisions and equipment, from Spitzbergen to the Pole in from ten to twenty days. They will never ascend more than 3(H) to 500 feet, and their guide-rope will trail over the surface of the earth. This guide-rope is absolutely essential to the safety of the balloon's navigation, and is of considerable weight. It is made of leather, 15 inches thick and 130 feet long, 'and weighingabout 14001b., and the explorers have hit upon the ingenious notion of packing the inside of the guide-rope full of reserve food to the amount of 12001b. The expedition will be able to carry 30001b. of food, or enough to enable tEem to subsist on their own stores for a period .of ten months. If the airship fails as a true cruiser at or. anywhere. near>;the

Pole, they will descend upon the icepack, make a snug hut of the fabric and- "... material, and pass the entire winter" a€ ■or! in-.th'e vicinity"-of the Bole,, returning, by sledge the following year. • They] will carry dogs, sledges and small boats, 4 and complete sledging- equipment witli this possibility in view. The Wellman airship is at present •housed at Spitsbergen, in readiness for - the start. With the single exception of Count Zeppelin's, it is the largest even builfe —184 feet'long and 52ft at its greatest diameter, giving a total lifting i force of 19,5001b. The car consists of a framework of steel tubing, 115 ft long,. 10ft high, and Bft broad, suspended close under the balloon at such a 'distance that those standing on the top of the ~ car can easily reach the balloon. The keel or backbone of the-airship consists of a steel tank ISm in diameter, and 115 ft in length, with a capacity for hold r ing 1200 gallons of petrol. At the stern of the vessel is a rudder of some 000 .square feet, in the iorm of a bicycle •wheel which, aespite its great size, only weighs 301b. A little forward of the centre is placed a very heavy motor, built for endurance and safety, of 70' h.p., and having a weight of 9001b. In thi3 new airship the propellers are placed in the centre on either Side of the vessel.. They consist of two blades of steel, lift in diameter, and capable of 380. revolu- - tions per minute. ' The living quarters of the airship are in triangular bunk-like . spaces within the enclosed steel car,, These are capable of •accommodating 10Lor 12 men, 12 dogs, together with provisions and equipment. The total . - weight of the steel car and tank is 12001b. The motors, screws, and machinery weigh 13501b. , The petrol tank carries 6SOOIb of petrol, capable of running the motor for 150 hours- at a normal speed of 14 knots per hour. The weight of the cargo diminishes on an average 6001b per day by the consumption of petrol*for the motor,'but, deducting gas leakage, the net result is that, the airship has on an average day 4501b to 5001b of lifting force no longer required. Ordinarily the surplus gas would be allowed to escape through the valves," but, inasmuch as hydrogen has a very high calorific power, Mr. Wellman has thought itii pity to waste good fuel, and by actual experiment ie teas found that he can burn the surplus hydrogen. in,Ms motor,'"with, the result that he has a further 30 hours of motoring Srom the , ■. waste gas, giving a total of ISO hours afc ;' 14 knots per hoiif. ' That is to say, his airship has a total radius of action of 2500 miles, or double the distance from the base to the Pole and back again. ■ The expedition will sail from Trpniso on June 1 for Spitzbergen. At the end of June the balloon will be inflated and trials 'held until it is proved ready foe the great voyage. The start for the .. Pole will be made on the first favour- >■ able opportunity afterwards, probably between July 20"and August 10. ' Mr. - Wellman shows plenty of confidence. "I believe/ he saySj "that the nioiiem air- . ship has now been developed to a point . of practicability; where it should fbe used for something J actually useful in this., world."