‘Balloonacy’: Commander Cheyne's flight of fancy
ABSTRACT Commander John P. Cheyne, R.N. (1826–1902) is a forgotten figure in the history of nineteenth-century polar exploration. A veteran of three expeditions in search of the missing Franklin expedition, his retirement was atypical of the many naval officers who had served in the Arctic. Late in...
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Cambridge University Press (CUP)
2008
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Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800747x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003224740800747X |
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s003224740800747x 2024-04-07T07:50:05+00:00 ‘Balloonacy’: Commander Cheyne's flight of fancy Lewis-Jones, Huw 2008 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800747x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003224740800747X en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms Polar Record volume 44, issue 4, page 289-302 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development journal-article 2008 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800747x 2024-03-08T00:36:36Z ABSTRACT Commander John P. Cheyne, R.N. (1826–1902) is a forgotten figure in the history of nineteenth-century polar exploration. A veteran of three expeditions in search of the missing Franklin expedition, his retirement was atypical of the many naval officers who had served in the Arctic. Late in 1876, after the disappointing return of the British Arctic expedition under George Strong Nares, Cheyne first announced his grand plans to reach the North Pole by balloon. He embarked on a transatlantic lecture tour in an effort to raise funds. It was a novel proposal that captured public imagination, but also drew wide criticism, and sometimes ridicule. This paper draws upon a study of primary and secondary materials: original manuscripts and correspondence, British and American newspapers and the illustrated press, souvenirs, pamphlets, and periodical reviews. This is a neglected episode in the history of polar exploration and in the history of aeronautics more generally, and it is a story of naivety and optimism, bravado and speculation. This paper examines the prevailing currents of public opinion of the value of exploration in this period, the debates surrounding new techniques of polar travel, and the changing image of the explorer. Both aeronautical pioneer and itinerant showman, Cheyne was increasingly maligned as a charlatan and lunatic. He proved unable to realise his dream of polar flight. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic North Pole Polar Record Cambridge University Press Arctic North Pole Nares ENVELOPE(158.167,158.167,-81.450,-81.450) Polar Record 44 4 289 302 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Cambridge University Press |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
spellingShingle |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development Lewis-Jones, Huw ‘Balloonacy’: Commander Cheyne's flight of fancy |
topic_facet |
General Earth and Planetary Sciences Ecology Geography, Planning and Development |
description |
ABSTRACT Commander John P. Cheyne, R.N. (1826–1902) is a forgotten figure in the history of nineteenth-century polar exploration. A veteran of three expeditions in search of the missing Franklin expedition, his retirement was atypical of the many naval officers who had served in the Arctic. Late in 1876, after the disappointing return of the British Arctic expedition under George Strong Nares, Cheyne first announced his grand plans to reach the North Pole by balloon. He embarked on a transatlantic lecture tour in an effort to raise funds. It was a novel proposal that captured public imagination, but also drew wide criticism, and sometimes ridicule. This paper draws upon a study of primary and secondary materials: original manuscripts and correspondence, British and American newspapers and the illustrated press, souvenirs, pamphlets, and periodical reviews. This is a neglected episode in the history of polar exploration and in the history of aeronautics more generally, and it is a story of naivety and optimism, bravado and speculation. This paper examines the prevailing currents of public opinion of the value of exploration in this period, the debates surrounding new techniques of polar travel, and the changing image of the explorer. Both aeronautical pioneer and itinerant showman, Cheyne was increasingly maligned as a charlatan and lunatic. He proved unable to realise his dream of polar flight. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Lewis-Jones, Huw |
author_facet |
Lewis-Jones, Huw |
author_sort |
Lewis-Jones, Huw |
title |
‘Balloonacy’: Commander Cheyne's flight of fancy |
title_short |
‘Balloonacy’: Commander Cheyne's flight of fancy |
title_full |
‘Balloonacy’: Commander Cheyne's flight of fancy |
title_fullStr |
‘Balloonacy’: Commander Cheyne's flight of fancy |
title_full_unstemmed |
‘Balloonacy’: Commander Cheyne's flight of fancy |
title_sort |
‘balloonacy’: commander cheyne's flight of fancy |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2008 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800747x https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S003224740800747X |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(158.167,158.167,-81.450,-81.450) |
geographic |
Arctic North Pole Nares |
geographic_facet |
Arctic North Pole Nares |
genre |
Arctic North Pole Polar Record |
genre_facet |
Arctic North Pole Polar Record |
op_source |
Polar Record volume 44, issue 4, page 289-302 ISSN 0032-2474 1475-3057 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s003224740800747x |
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Polar Record |
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44 |
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4 |
container_start_page |
289 |
op_container_end_page |
302 |
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1795664739919986688 |