THE FRENCH BALLOON EXPEDITION.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5861, 1 May 1897, Page 2

THE FRENCH BALLOON EXPEDITION.

AN INTERVIEW. To ascertain what is exact in the rumour of a French expedition to the North Pole, having for chief pilot M. Louis Godard, I called on that gentleman, who at once supplied me with all particulars. M. Godard is a distinguished aerostatic engineer, who builds, as well as commands, aerial ships. For the last twenty years he has been practically connected with aerial navigation. He is on the shady side of thirty years of age, is .about sft Sin in stature, and weighs some eleven stone. He is of quiet, unassuming manners, but the possessor of an iron will and nerves of steel. In a word, a " daring pilot in extremity." "And what, Monsieur le Chef, is the situation of your project ?" — " It is supported by four Parisian -journals, namely, Le Figaro, Le Petit Journal, Le Matin and Le Petit Parisien. The committee has for president M. Kambaud, Minister of Public Instruction, and. five members ,of the. Academie des Sciences, including 11. Faye, whose name alone is a guarantee for the feasibility of the project and a stimulus for its succes3." "Do you anticipate serious difficulties in the execution of your plans ?" — " No ; there is nothing new in the idea of crossing the banquise boreale by means of ..a balloon, whose course nothing can arrest, if well managed, and a favourable current exists. Since 1893 my associates and myself have studied the present plan, and conclude that, with a balloon suitably constructed and a well-chosen crew, the enterprise may bo said to present no, risks. Further, our balloon will not follow any marked oxii route." "Will your balloon be large?"— "lt will per se cube in round numbers 11,000 metres ; will have a circumference of 86, and a diameter of 27 metres. It will be built with silk, consist of two independent envelopes, one sheathing inside the other, but both uniting at base and summit by valves, furnished with similar valves at the circumference, and arranged according to a special system. It will also have an air balloon, of a small but determined capacity, attached, to aid in maintaining the geometric form of the balloon, to assist in working any scheme of deviation, and in contributing to the floating in cold regions! The netting, its hooping and peculiar cordage, will weigh 1525 kilos; the steadying guide-rope, cable, anchor, &c, 520 kilos. The car will weigh 025 kilos, and bo rectangular in shape, of a capacity of 2 by 2£ by 2 metres, and covered overhead; on its roof, or deck, the working operations will take place. The interior of the car will consist of cabinjs in which to repose, eat, record observations, one being reserved for a laboratory. The weight of the balloon proper with these fittings will be 4550 kilos. "And your crew?" — "It will comprise seven persons, representing a total weight of 560 kilos, or an average of 12i stone per individual. The provisions are calculated for 120 days, at the rate of 3£lb "daily per person, and will represent a total weight of 1000 kilos. Photographic apparatus, scientific instruments, folding boats, sledges, arms, explicate ropes, anchor, ballast, &c, will make a. total weight of 7450 kilos, which, added to the 4550 kilos already mentioned, will represent a grand total of 12,000 kilos. The ballast alone will weigh 3 tons 12cwt, and will consist of small shot and water." "What about the inflation ?"—" That will be effected with pure hydrogen gas, sufficient to tide over a voyage of forty days ; but with the twelve gasometer balloons, suspended between the car and the equatorial section of the balloon, each cubing 250 metres additional of hydrogen, the journey can be extended to sixty days. One cubic metre of pure hydrogen is estimated to raise a weight of 21b 6oz. The leakage of gas, based on the working of captive and military balloons during several years, is calculated at 1 £ V &v cen^ per twenty-four hours. Even allowing the loss to bo 2 per cent, sufficient hydrogen would remain for a voyage, that is to say, to float in the air during fifty days." " How long do you expect your exploration journey to last ?" — " With a favourable wind, moving at the rate of four metres per second — the mean velocity of the wind at Spitzbergen, based on 1000 observations taken during the fine weather, and when there is no night — or fifteen kilometres per hour, the balloon would travel daily 360 kilometres, or 225 miles — that is to say, 13,500 miles, during sixty days. __ But the contemplated voyage of exploration is not expected to exceed twelve or fifteen days, 1 equivalent to a total journey of 3375 miles. Now, the distance of unexplored territory between Spitzbergen and Behring's Straits i is about 2000 miles, so that a liberal margin i has been allowed for the run." " How do you propose to prepare the • hydrogen gas ? " — " The Minister of Marine will be asked to place a steamer, with a crew of thirty hands, at the disposal of the i committee, to transport th« cargo, some • 300 tons, to Spitzbergen. To produce the , requisite amount of gas — 18,000 cubic ! metres — including accessories, &c, 179 tons I of sulphuric acid, and 72 tons of iron, will i bo needed. Pending the inflation, no ' shelter will be required for the balloon; l it can be safely anchored to the ground, a

capiif, and fully able to resist a gale blowing at the rate of seventy- eight miles an hour." "What about your crew of seven brave men, commencing by your worthy self ? " — "My first assistant, who is my colleague and associate engineer, will bo M. Surcouf, who is well known as an experienced aeronaut ; there will bo two sub-assistants, one meteorological chemist, one Arctic navigator, to be nominated by the Geographical Society, and a- navy surgeon to be selected by the Admiralty." " What will be the cost of the expedition in question ?" — " Ten thousand pounds sterling, to be obtained from promised donations, ptiblic grants jin.-l a national subscription. Conferences are on the eve of being organised all over the country, to enable France to have the honour of solving the mystery or the enigma of the North Pole. " But, Monsieur le Chef, what respecting the peril, the unknown ?" — " No danger daunts us, nor do we value or estimate the difficulties as excessive, secured as we will bo by every scientific and mechanical appliance." M. Qodard is of the same mind as the Knight of Snowdon :— If the path be dangerous known, The danger's sqlf is lure alone. " The balloon duly inflated at Spitzbergen, the 'let go' will be pronounced on the first favouring breeze. If the. expedition cannot attain the Behring's Straits, but be blown back, the travellers will bow to the inevitable ; but they are resolved to remain 'up' fifty to sixty day3, so as to realise that fact alone, which will be no insignificant lever de ridcau for the grand piece certain to succeed later." Before leaving my learned friend I asked him his opinion about the Andn'e Polar Expedition. M. Godard merely observed he did not approve of the principle of the construction of its balloon, though made, all tho same, in M. Godard's own ! factory. .