TO THE POLE BY AIRSHIP.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 547, 30 June 1909, Page 7

TO THE POLE BY AIRSHIP.

1 WELLMAN'S SHED DESTROYED. PROBABLE POSTPONEMENT OF TRIP.;. 1 (By. Telegraph.—J.'rc33 Association.—Oopyricbt.) •. (Reo,: Juao 29, 10.60 pan.) London, June 29. Mr. /Walter , Wellman's -balloon-shod at Spitsbergen, from: which baso ho proposed'; to s start foi tho North Peio in his dirigible. bal-; : loon, has been l destroyed^' This will probably prevent Mr. Wellmaji I starting on .his expedition, this, summer. ■ WELLMAN AND THE' "AMERICA." , July 11, 1897, that Andrco left in i Ills balloon on his voyage' to tho.North Pole,, from, which ha never returned.. 'In .1007 Mr. Walter Wellman/organised an airship expedition to , the North Pole, but .during a trial ■ ascent at Spitzbergen the airship was wrecked on a glacier m a: snow-storm. Now, Mr. Wellm?n is-agam likely tQ bo disappointed. : . ..111? balloon, the "America; is stated to be IS? Vfith a greatest diameter of; 52i fMtrr Its yolumo is 265,000' cubic feet, and' whenf inflated,.it will have a lifting force of; 19,500s pounds. ."."Tho mechanical part (states an English' paper) l presents some stnkingly new "ttwrfts,in airship cqnstruction.The.car Itself itt/wt, in! length; of steel: ttibing, remarkably .'light and strong. The; backbone of: this' .««of equ/il' length to 'contdin 1200 gallons: (68001b.).. of petrol' for the motors.,vThe,nfinolpal motor, n'GO-70-h,p.' Clft™ent, works dircctly : on two steel ,BCroWB, : lH Ifefit in.diaitioterj. placctl attach side of-tho' Car: .ate.proper,;speed of. this airship is 10-18 statuts" miles,, per hour, and .'thefuel carried gives'.-150 'hours' .of . motoring, at full speed i radius of . action . over 2250' miles, -or ' nearly donblo, tho distanca: from '•SpiteW»to- ; to' the Pole and back again. ./ . , - , "lll;.addition. tO: motot-s,: machinery, nearly three, and a : half tons, of petrol, the'. Crew of .four or .live men, a dozen, sledge-dogs, 'and' a completely, equipped sledging, phrty, for a pos-, .Mble.-ttturtt-qvtt..-thei ice fn'caso of :need, the AlriMlca wiU.oarry a ton and a,half of food, .making it 'possible for the crew to bend; the entire winter in> the Arctic regions should that be necessary. :