FROM AMERICA TO EUROPE BY BALLOON

Evening Star, Issue 3329, 21 October 1873, Page 2

FROM AMERICA TO EUROPE BY BALLOON

A GREAT BUT PEHILOUS EXPERIMENT. Our Rndish telegrams of the 17th, convey, in the brief announcement that “a newlyconstructed balloon left America on October 6, on a voyage across the Atlantic to Europe,” intelligence of the commencement of one of the most daring enterprises ever known. ') he man who has undertaken this bo'd and novel venture is Professor Wise of Philadelphia, one of the oldest and most experienced aeronauts in the world ; and his journey is made to realise and demonstrate practically theories he has held, and preached, and fought for during a large portion of his lifetime. The balloon in which he journeys is constructed and fitted out at the expense of the 2{ew York Illustrated Graphic. In a recent number of the Fhiladephia Bulletin there appears an account of a conversation between the Professor and the newspaper’s editor, from which we extract such passages as have reference to the voyage Wise ; I propose to start from Boston Common, and shall have with me Washington H, Donaldson, aeronaut, and two scientific gentlemen. Editor: You cannot guide your balloon j how then do you know it will not sail westward ? Wise : I have for years believed that the entire upper atmosphere surrounding the earth constantly moves eastward with the revolution of the earth. More than this, it actually moves faster than the earth, just as water is spurted forward from a rapidly-revolving grindstone. It is thrown ahead by the movement of the terrestrial ball at the rate, say, of 100 miles an hour. If I rise into this vast air-tide with my balloon, the ship will be swept eastward with tremendous velocity. We cannot control the direction of the balloon in any way, and that will not be necessary. All we need do is to let it drift, and sooner or later, if no accident happens, we shall roach Europe. Professor Henry and other learned men entertain this same opinion concerning the eastward tendency of the upper air, and 1 am assured of it, not only because it is reasonable and natural, but because all balloons, after reaching the height, say, of a pqile ajjd a half, go in an easterly direction,

* i 11 1 " Editor; Have you observed that phenomenon often ? Wise : I have made 446 balloon ascensions, and ninety-six time* out of every hundred the air-ship shot rapidly toward the east. I have preached the theory for thirty years. Editor: How long do you suppose it will take to cross the ocean ? Wise; Not more than seventy hours, and probably only sixty. It will depend upon the force of the air current. I may as well remark here that this current moves more rapidly after sunset, for the heated air presses toward the shadow, where the atmosphere is cooler. We shall probably land either in Great Britain or France —in the latter if we do not reach a great altitude. I have always thought, however, that there is an air current following the course of the Gulf Stream, for that heats the atmosphere to the height of 8,000 or 10,000 feet, and makes, I conjecture, a sort of gulf stream in the air. If this is correct, and our balloon strikes that current, we shall go directly to England. Of course I cannet say absolutely that we shall succeed. This voyage is merely experimental. I wish to test the matter ; that is all. If the trip can be made now it will be made many times again, and with practice, ability may be acquired to reach London, Paris, or Madrid with unerring certainty. Wears merely going to try whether it can really bo done or not. I shall leave Boston Common and strike at once for an altitude of about two miles, and stay up there if possible until we get across. Editor : Will you return in the balloon ? Wise: I think not. We might, though, by dropping into the local trade winds and surface currents, but they are not so reliable. I only claim the ability to go with certainty to the oastEditor : You speak of a speed <>f 100 miles an hour. Will not that seem alarming ? Wise : Not at all. In a balloon, no matter how rapid the motion, the voyager is not conscious of it. Ho seems to stand still. If there is no object by which to mark the progress, he is impressed with the conviction that the balloon is at rest. He is no more conscious of a speed of 100 mileS an hour than you are of the revolution of the earth as you sit in that chair. Moreover, there is no fluttering of any of the rigging l of the balloon when in equilibrium. A cobweb hanging from the car will seem as free from agitation as if it were suspended in a vacuum. We cannot even tell when we are ascending except by hanging a ribbon over the side and observing it fly upward as we descend and downward as we mount into the air. You can hardly called balloon riding “ the poetry of motion,” for there appears to be no motion. A blind man in such a ship would bo ready to be sworn he was in a condition of perfect rest. Editor: And now for a description of the balloon in which you will make your voyage. Wise : We propose to construct three balloons, one nearly three times the size of the others, the latter of which will be used to supply the large one with gas as it gradually loses its lifting power. The balloons will hold some 325,000 feet of gas, and will have a lifting capacity of 11,000 pounds besides the weight of the gas chambers themselves, nettings, baskets, life-boat, etc. It will take about 2,700 yards of drilling for the large balloon, but with tho aid of sewing machines we think we can got it ready in a month’s time. The basket in which we propose to ride will be a comfortable covered room, with a cellar in which to store water and food for the trip. The room will have windows on all sides, a lime stove will give abundant heat for warmth and to cook with, while at night a vacuum tube with platinum wire at each end will furnish abundant light by sending a current of electricity along the wire. Editor : Suppose the balloon falls into the sea ? Wise : We have to provide for such an emergency. Beneath the chamber there will 1o an open platform or balcony, and beneath that one of the Francis metal lifeboats, provided with oars, sails, instruments, food and wafer, will he suspended at any instant to receive ns, should a near approach to the water take place for any reason. This lifeboat will have four large air chambers, and will be provided with a cabin in whbh we can be protected from the weather. By means of an ingenious contrivance the centre of gravity can be made beneath the bottom of the boat, thus rendering it impossible to upset it. Wo shall take provisions for thirty days, in order to be ready for tho worst, and will have it placed in water-tight bags, which may serve as life-preservers also.