This article about Salomon August Andrée's balloon expedition of 1897 is from a book that was published in 1898. For decades people had been trying to reach the north pole. None had. Andrée and his crew did something that sparked the imaginations of people all over the world for a long time. The story lacks a happy ending, but it has a certain dignity about it nonetheless. —fadedpages.com

Professor S. A. Andrée.

A hundred courageous men have tried to reach the North Pole by vessel and by sledge, but as these have all failed, appetite for adventure has been whetted and led to the suggestion of attempting an air route as opposed to a land journey. Some have tried the building of a flying machine, which, however, was as vain as a quest of the Pole itself; but, finally, one bolder than his fellow travelers, resolved to satisfy his desperate purpose by ascending in a huge balloon and trusting to favoring air-currents to carry him to or over the plexus of northern longitudes. This brave adventurer was a Swedish civil engineer named S. A. Andrée, who was a practical aeronaut, having made several balloon ascensions, and who had no difficulty in inducing prominent persons to advance a sum sufficient to test his theories.

Andrée's original purpose was to attempt a crossing of the Atlantic in a balloon, from Africa to South America, in order to determine the length of time a balloon may be kept in suspension and also to make a study of the upper air-currents. The plan was so far considered as to refer it to Nordenskjöld, who immediately advised that the purpose be changed to an effort to sail from Spitzbergen to the North Pole, as by so doing a double benefit might follow. Andrée was so appreciative of the suggestion that he set at once to putting it into execution. A fund of $1400 was given him to pay the cost of experiments, which he pursued by making twelve ascensions between 1893—95, the results of which he communicated to the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. His essays on aerial navigation were widely read, and when, in February, 1895, he proposed, in a public lecture, to attempt to reach the North Pole by balloon he received the most flattering encouragement. Later in the year Andrée delivered a lecture on the same subject before the Geographical Congress in London and while a few of his audience thought the attempt would prove a failure, and so declared, the majority enthusiastically favored his purpose.

When Andrée returned to Sweden he found everything favorable to the execution of his plans. In a few days thereafter, through King Oscar's influence, the sum of $36,000 was subscribed with which to defray the expenses of the proposed expedition. The winter of 1895—96 was spent by Andrée in France, where he made several ascensions, and in the spring of the latter year he returned to Sweden with a balloon that had been made by M. Lachambre, of Paris, at a cost of $10,000, in which to make his hazardous voyage. This balloon stood nearly one hundred feet in height, when inflated, was made of three thicknesses of oiled silk, overlaid with two heavy coats of varnish. The car was five feet deep and seven feet in diameter, made of strong wicker-work lined with varnished silk, and provided with two comfortable departments, one for sleeping and the other for observations.

Car of the Andrée balloon. (1896)

Above the car was a wicker canopy, with a trap door in the centre so as to permit the occupants to ascend to the top of the canopy, upon which they might stand in case of need, protected by a canvas that was stretched around the upper circle of ropes. Above this was a ring of the same diameter as the car, to which many of the scientific instruments were attached, so that the explorers might conveniently use them while standing upon the canopy. Nothing was omitted that science thus far shows any need for in such an expedition, in addition to which there was a canvas collapsible boat, sleeping bags, abundant provisions, and an ingenious cooking arrangement, by which an oil stove was carried far enough below the car to be entirely out of all danger of igniting the gas in the balloon. The cooking was thus done at long range, the lamp being lighted and extinguished by a contrivance that avoided the need of raising the stove.

Andrée put into effect a scheme of his own for controlling, so far as possible, the direction and buoyancy of the balloon. This he sought to accomplish by means of long trailing ropes, one thousand and twelve hundred feet in length, respectively, his purpose being to keep at an altitude of five hundred feet above the earth and thus to allow the ropes to drag. Another kind of steering apparatus which he employed was made by stretching sails attached to a horizontal bamboo yard-arm, and connecting above with the body of the balloon, by which means, by taking in sail upon either side he thought he would be able to tack about thirty degrees. In addition to these ingenious provisions, the expansion and contraction of the gas was regulated by automatic valves set in opposite sides of the balloon. Lastly, the balloon was inflated with hydrogen gas, which, to produce the necessary amount (170,000 cubic feet), required the use of forty tons of iron filings, thirty-nine tons of sulphuric acid, and seventy-five tons of water. Besides the instruments carried for making scientific observations, photographing, testing the humidity, etc., a number of carrier pigeons were taken, and a supply of cork buoys, in the centre of which latter were tin boxes to contain messages, which floating, might some time be picked up at sea.

Andrée selected for his companions two Swedish gentlemen, Dr. Nils Ekholm and Nils Strindberg, with whom he sailed for Spitzbergen on the steamer Virgo from Goteborg, June 8, 1896, arriving at their destination eleven days later. Here, at a place called Pike's House, the balloon was inflated, but the work was so long delayed that it was concluded to defer the journey until another time, and the balloon was accordingly taken to Tromsö and there stored, while Andrée and his companions returned to Stockholm.

This sudden change of purpose led not a few to express doubt of Andrée's courage and to no little ridicule, as was most natural. The following year, however, Andrée renewed his resolve, and was again encouraged to do so by King Oscar. Dr. Ekholm decided, however, not to venture upon such a hazardous enterprise, whereupon his place was quickly taken by Ferdinand Frankel, who was at the time engaged as a civil engineer constructing railroads for the Swedish Government. The party started for Dane's Island the second of June, and there landed the balloon on the fourteenth, and on June 22 the inflation was completed. A few days was thereafter spent repairing the leaks and in tightening all the parts of the great air vessel, which had been duly christened, with the appropriate name Ornen, which in English is Eagle. Though everything was in readiness for a start on June 30, it was not until July 11 that wind and conditions were favorable for the ascension. The temporary building which housed the great balloon was quickly torn down by carpenters and sailors brought to the place by the Swedish gunboat Svenskund, and by two o'clock the aerial monster stood out like a thing of titanic life against a background of sea and sky. Andrée now very hurriedly wrote two dispatches, one to a paper of Stockholm and one to the King of Norway, expressing his thanks and sending greeting to friends.

Andrée's balloon passing over the ice fields. (1897)

When the supreme moment arrived the three brave adventurers exhibited no signs of excitement, but were, on the other hand, astonishingly calm. They each shook hands with their friends, after which Andrée stepped into the car, and called his two resolute companions to follow, to which they promptly responded. A few moments after, as the balloon became a little steadied, at 2.40 p. m., Andrée gave the command, "Cut the ropes," and immediately the mighty Eagle rose like a flying mountain into the air, amid the "hurrahs" and "bon voyages" of the spectators. The three adventurers waved back their adieus with flags and handkerchiefs, and in half an hour the balloon had passed entirely out of sight. It is now (February 1, 1898) as I write, more than six months since Andrée departed, and no word has come back to tell us what has been his fate. Will it be the same that overtook Sir John Franklin, which was not determined for nearly twelve years, and when discovered there were only bones and relics?

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