An Airship to the Pole.

Progress, Volume I, Issue 9, 2 July 1906, Page 235

An Airship to the Pole.

A New York letter says • — An American newspaper syndicate is arranging for the discovery of the North Pole by means of an air ship. M. SantosDumont, it is announced, will design and run the craft, which will be captained by Mr. Walter Wellman, of Washington who has made two successful trips' to the Polar regions. Apparently, the expedition is no meie advertising scheme, but has been planned carefully, after long and serious study. The air ship is to "be built by Godard, of Pans, and will be completed by April. Early in July, headquarters will be established at Spitzbergen, where the explorers will await a favourable opportunity for the trip towards the Pole, which Mr. Wellman says should, with a run of good luck, be reached m less than a week. The craft will be the largest practicable air-ship ever built, being 196 ft. long, with its greatest diameter 49ft. Its surface will measure 23,000 square feet, and its volume 226,000 cubic feet. Inflated by hydrogen, it will have a total ascensional force of 15,0001b. Its endurance, and capacity in buoyancy will be sufficient to last 30 days, and it will be able to carry 8000 1b of cargo.