A week or more ago it was stated in the telegraphic dispatches that a balloon ascended from the American posts in front of Santiago de Cuba in order to make observations of the Spanish defences there. The expedition was entirely successful and some useful information was gained by the Americans. In charge of the balloon was M. Anthony Varicie, head of the French balloon expedition to search for Andree. The members of the party are now in Vancouver and will leave for the interior of the Klondike region
next week. Dr. Terwagne is now in charge here. M. Varicle, who is one of the most renowned aeronauts in Europe, came as far as Montreal at the head of the present expedition, but while there he received a request from the war authorities to visit Washington and subsequent events speak for themselves.
The Andree relief expedition, which leaves here this week, will go to Skagway and from there over the trail and down the river to Dawson. Further arrangements will then be made in the light of the condition of things there. The party have passports from the Government ordering the Mounted Police to furnish them with every possible aid, including food, if necessary.
The most modern and expensive scientific instruments are being taken in by the party. They have a flash lamp that is quite an interesting object in itself. The
reflector of the kerosene light is prolonged to a small cone and in the end of this is
placed a polished ball of aluminum. This reflects a ray as powerful as that of one of Vancouver's are lights and the cone can be moved around to any place desired and the light is given additional strength from a pair of small bellows operated by the hands or feet. By inverting the reflector a plate can be placed on the top and an egg cooked very quickly. This avoids the danger of a flame, and a possible connection between it and gas leaking from the balloon.
The party may stay up north all winter.
