THE BALLOON VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE.

Taranaki Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 11021, 11 September 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BALLOON VOYAGE TO THE NORTH POLE.

HOW THE ASCENT WAS MADE.

THE INCIDENT OF THE CAPTURED PIGEON. The Berlin correspondent of the Daily News reproduces in full the despatch sent by the representative of the LokalAnzeiger at Dane's Island, Spitzbergen, describing the ascent of Herr Andree and his two companions on their adventurous balloon voyage to the North Pole:-— " The morning of the 11th of July" (says the correspondent of the LokalAnzeiger) " brought sunshine and blue sky. The rain-soaked things could now be dried. Moreover, a south wind was blowing, not softly, but right freshly, and it was a genuine south wind. From on board the Svenksund the crew at divine service were chanting. I eat in silent devotion in my tent, and listened. Scarcely had the ship's bell struck 11 than I became aware of unwonted activity on board. While I was still pondering over the matter I observed several men at work on the upper portion of the front side of the balloon house. A. moment later the planks were being thiown down, the beams sawn through, and screws and rivets loosened. Truely this must te in earnest. I hurried with all speed to the scene, and learnt that Herr Andree intended forthwith to attempt the ascent. With almost p&infnl expectation the men were putting forth most strenuous exertions. Andree himself I presently appeared on the scaffolding above and shouted his commands to tho men thiough the medium of a speakingtrumpet. He and his companions were ' already clad in their travelling costumes ' Andree and Strindburg in a dark Hue, Fraenkel in a grey suit, with collars of wolfs fur. "In Peak House a pair of trial balloons were inflated and let loose, and the breeze carried them in precisely tho desired direction. On the beach the I crew were busy laying out the dragI ropes to prevent the posibility of their taDgling. With a crash the loosened portion of the tower's front wall fell out. Inside the tower the greatest activity prevailed. In every corner stood men regulating the ropes by whiph the balloon was held. Everyone helped, even the commander of the gunboat. Tho ballast-bags were hung in a narrow circle so that the balloon might rise. Then, when the north wall had been removeu as far as the centre of the building, this circle was Btill further reduced. " At last the lashings were- secured to the last bolt, and the balloon swung some two metreß from the ground. I helped Slrindberg to fix the pigeoncages above the car, where also the food supply is stored. 1 The cook carefullystowed in a small barrel tbe dinner which would be the first to be eaten aloft. Fraenkel brought np a few glosses of beer for immediate use, Ibe. ,

car waa quickly put in order, superfluous' ballast-bags ware levered from their fastenings, several of them being placed in the car for preliminary use. From the west side of the balloon waved the, Swedish colours, and beside them a white silk Hag adorned with a blue anchor, the happily conceived, and it may be hoped luck-bringing, gift of a lady. Immediately nnder tho balloon was fastened diagonally a bamboo, to which sails like wings were attached on either side. By mean 3of ropes the aeronauts can manipulate these sails from the car.

11 Shortly before half-past 2 Andree was quite ready for the journey. Heartily shaking hands with those assembled in fhe balloon house and nodding to the astonished trappers who stood watching, he addressed warm, deeply-felt words of thanks to all those whose handa he could not reach owing to their inability to leave their posts. With stnrdy handshakes Fraenkel and Strindberg a'so took their leave. Strindberg appeared to be deaply moved, and indeed the solemnity of the moment impressed all spectators. Then Andree called loud, « Fraenk«l! Strindberg!' Standing in the car the three severed the thin ropes holding them, Andree counting one, two, thre«. At three the last cord binding them to the floor of the tower fell away. Proudly and majestically the balloon io3e, passing directly through the open northern portion of its former dwelling. Andree gazed with, happy confidence on those who remained behind, and then, he and his comrades waving their caps, he cried out, 'Greetings at home to Sweden.' Those who had a photographing apparatus took yet another snapshot. * " Running to the shore, we all saw the balloon floating some 180 ft over the water. A moment of intense anxiety followed, for the balloon was driving right on to a jutting prominence of rock on the east side of Sineerenburg Sound and threatened to collide with it. | Suddenly, however, a gust of wind coming tKrough the Sound from the south-east sent the air vessel back to sea m a north-westerly direction, and struck it so strongly above that for | some seconds the car was trailing along the water. At the same moment we I discovered that the three drag ropes from whose assistance Andree had hoped so much lay quietly on the beach. The swivel fastening them to the ring must have been loosened at the moment of ascent. But how that was possible will never be explained. As they had a reserve stock of ropes with them for ballast, the loss of the three ropes will not, however, be irreparable. Meanwhile, they had thrown out several ballast-bags. " A few minutes had passed only since the time, exactly 35 minutes after 2, at which the start was made, and the balloon was now seen moving exactly as Andree had wished over the flat peninsula Hollaendernaes toward the north. It is true that nt the north end of Sweerenburg Sound a south-westerly air currant caught it again and apparently drove it towards the craggy | cliff of Vogelsang, but with shaded eyes I we could perceive it sail a few yards above this canger point and proceed completely free at lost once more directly north. It was precisely 3 o'clock when the balloon disappeared on the northern horkon." A.- Reuter telegram from Stockholm, dated 22nd July, says: — " The journal Aftonblad, which has close relations with Herr Andree, states this evening that the carrier-pigeon caught near Stavanger could not have been despatched by the explorer, as it was arranged that his pigeons should be marked with the words, ' Andree Expedition, a.d m 1897.' " Berlin, July 28.— The flamburgischer correspondent states that on the 13th instant about 1000 carrier pigeons belonging to several pigeonflying societies; were released at a point about 280 kilometres north-west of Heligoland. Each pigeon bore an aluminium ring with an indicative number or letter. For instance, the letter V signified a this year's bird, and the letter W one of last year's birds. It is believed, adds the journal, that the pigeon captured at Stavangor t and believed to have been despatched by Herr Andree is one of the carriers in question. ' • > I