GYMNASTICS IN THE CLOUDS.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 179, 26 July 1873, Page 2

GYMNASTICS IN THE CLOUDS.

A correspondent of the Sun send-3 nu account of an interview with lhe aeronaut Donaldson, who is in New York, completing his plans to cross the ocean during the Bummer in an air ship, buoyed by two mammoth balloons. It is his purpose to leave New York from Union Square, cross the Atlantic, arriving somewhere on the continent in two days and a half. Your correspondent sent his card to (he professor's apartments, ani was very kindly welcomed by this most daring and reckless of all aeroDauls. The aeronaut is quite a cheerful personage, and having made bis visitor comfortable and contented, ho proceeded as follows : HANGING BY THE TOES IN THE CLOUDS. " This ballooning is not so dangerous as some imagine. People are inclined to look upon an ascension with much interest and amusement. I ascertained ihat the time was at hand when some improvement ought to bo mado in aeronauiing to attract the people's attention. I ascended first, in a basket, and after ascertaining a few points I threw aside that part, and since then have never used it. I next ascended dressed as an acrobat, and used nothing but* a trapeze bar. The people became frightened, and a new interest was awakened in ballooning. At tho height of a half mile, I always went through various performances, such as skinning the cat, whiil'mg around, hanging by my toes, and olher evolutions generally done by circus performers on the bar. At Chicago, when three-quarters of a mile high, I hung by the back of my hpad from the bar. People call me reckless and crazy, but they forget that I value rny life as much as they do, and that I know exactly what lam about. I feel just as contented and safe on the bare trapeze bar suspended from the balloon three miles high as I do sitting here. I see no daoger, and therefore there is no danger to me. I would like lo make an asaensiou STANDING ON TOP OF A BALLOON. " I think I can do it. People demand setsational spectacles. Tbeir tastes must be gratified, and to do (his I shall do a few

Far remaindir of ncwsi.ee fourth paqe.

irioka fof thefn neat spring before 1 cross the ocean by balloon, t am arranging a trick something like this," Here the professor packed up an ingeniously contrived bar composed of two sections, which can be separated at pleasure by a spring. ° When I am up in the air, say a thousand feet, and while sitting on the bar waving my hand to the people when they think least of accident, I shall touch the spring, the bar will suddenly soap in two, and away I shall tumble headlong toward the earth. A rope will catch me when down some ten feet, with which I can get up to the bnloon again, adjust the bar and again lake my place, 'Ibis and many other tricks I shall put in practice to AMUSE THE PEOPLE. " I feel better when about a mile high, and have often performed for my own satisfaction when out of sight beyond the clouds. I have been lost, given up as dead, found again bruised, scratched, landed in the Atlantic, and baptised in Luke Michigan, but am here to-day with cot a bone broken nor a mark visible. I have lost two balloons, have had one burst for me when two miles high, and have damaged three. So much for sensational ballooning. I like it, but would rather make voyages through the air in aid of science and the development of aerial subjects. "People hoot at the idea of flying machines. The day is very nigh at hand when this subject will command the respect of people; for such things will assuredly be a success. To construct; A FLYING MACHINE to navigate the air from one point to anotber, it is not necessary to imitate the wings of an insect. Nature has given this as a principle for us to work on, showing us practically that travelling through the air can'be accomplished. If we consider over the wonderful improvements that have been made in other branches of science, it becomes a subject of wonderment why it is, with all our arts and sciences that we are beaten and outdone by the common crow. When Fulton built his first steamboat to travel on water, he did not imitate the movements of a fish, the first locomotire did not move on legs, nor did Morse go to the heavens for electricity. Now, if we desire to navigate the air, we must not comply too closely to the movements of birds, for there is a fair chance for much improvement. We see aerial locomotion in its primitive Btate when we look at a bird flying. THE BIRD MUST BE SURPASSED. even as the locomotive parses lb« horse, or electricity the locomotive. Th« most difficult part of aerial navigation has been discovered, and that is to rise in the air and hang suspended between heaven and earth without the direct aid of propelling power. This is more than the bird can accomplish without bringing into play the movements of its wings to propel it through the air. The great trouble is, ballooniats cannot persuade scientific lights to accompany them to the clou<lb. If this were uol the case, we should have aerial ships navigating the air before this. lam going across the ocean in July. I will start in the neighborhood of Union Square, possibly Madison Square, New York c'.ly. I can travel east at all times; for, at a certain height, say two and a half miles, there is a constant current of air blowing toward the east. I shall ascend to the required altitude and undertake the journey, certain that I shall SAFELY REACH THE OTHER SIDE. Deductions from the same law that causes the constant blowing eastward make me think that a returning current of air can be found. If such is the case I shall seek the proper altitude, and return to America by balloon." Donaldson is a supurb draftsman, and is finishing sketches of the three balloons he will use for his ocean voyage. A smaller balloon is to be fastened between the two larger ones, and with boat, provisions, ballast, &c, he will undertake the voyage. He is earnest about it, and will certainly undertake the dangerous business. He has just had finished a balloon of thin brown paper, in which be will make an ascension as soon as warm weather sets in. In June Donaldson will make a trip from St. Louis to Boston. The following month he will commence HIS OCEAN VOYAGE. in the aerial ship North America, which is to cost £1000, calculated to travel 2000 miles in two days and a half. I was BBtonished at his determined sincerity, and from what he has already undertaken and successfully accomplished in the way of daring feats of aerial navigation, the people in the city have not the least doubt that he will do exactly what he proposes to do, or die in the attempt.