Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-04-01
For the Phenix Gazette.l
MEssRs PRINTERS:

For the Phenix Gazette.
MEssRs PRINTERS:
Bl possible to inUent a machine TO navigate the
air, as ,oe no,o do the ,Uater2 or By the help Of
uhich Us might fly ike brds9
To this mechanics and philosophers have ge-
nerally answered NO!
All acquainted with anatomy will readily give
up, that man, without better, and more COM
plicated machine, than pair ofwings can never
be taught to fly, for want Of the large pectoral
muscles possessed by birds, covering their
breasts, and extending 70 the end OF their wings,
and which, in fact, is the only muscle OF conse-
quence on bird which keeps much on the
wing. We likewise know that according to
the present construction Of balloons, they can be
Of no more service than boat in the water,
without paddle, oar or sail.-They merely take
the course OF, and keep in the current OF air in
to which they may chance to be placed Yet
all this does not argue that they can never be
improved in such a manner as TO make them
beneficial to the human race.
Man is more of an initiative than an inven-
tive animal, and it would not appear strange
that he should gather knowledge from the
beasts of the forest, the fish Of the sea, and the
fowls of the air. The beaver has taught him
to make dams, the bee has given him useful
lesson on comic sections, in the formation of her
cells, and from the shape of the dolphin, he has
been taught naval architecture. Then why
should it be beneath his dignity to take a les
son from the wild goose on the best mode OF
navigating the atmosphere!
Hydrogen gas being 5 times lighter than at
mospheric air, can, by being confined in bal
looms raise them to height where the air of
the atmosphere is OF the same specific gravity,
cubic foot for cubic foot, as that contained in
the moon, deducting the weight of the materials
composing the balloon and the man in the bas-
ket. do not see why they might not be made
10 work with broad oars, or rather artificial
wings, in imitation Of birds, by which they
might be propelled with the same ease, and
with much more speed and safety than boats on
the water The wild goose, which is not the
swiftest Of birds, is supposed to fly at the rate
of mile per minute, making l44o miles In the
"a hours AlIowingthe artificial bird (balloon)
10 be but half as swift, 1t would be great IA
cility in travelling, and impossible barriers
might thereby be overcome, which cannot be
done by any other means-for instance, the icy
mountains round the polar circles. Springs,
pullies, and other labour-saving machines
might be fixed on The top or under the bot
tom OF the balloon, by which the wings could
be KEEP, in play with less labor than shat OF con-
stantly pulling at an oar. 1t Is worth the al
ton Of the curious, and certainly would be as
worthy of trial as the long sought for perpetual
motion.
LIE, us look at the invention in another light, |
and suppose the balloon to still continue in the |
massive state it is at present. 1t is known that |
At least the lower strata of our atmosphere,
turns with, and partakes of the rotatory motion
of the earth. 1t is more than probable that
the upper straIas do not, if they do at all, 1t
mus, be in much less degree. Suppose a
balloon to be raised to these upper slralas, and
there remain stationary, or merely take the
current of the strata Of air in which 1t is placed,
for "a hours; then The earth would have per-
formed one evolution under it,- by which 1t
would not be effected; and by means oil glasses,
the man in the balloon might see all that was
passine in the different parts OF the earth that |
roll under him. and have i. at his option to drop
in what part he pleased. The earth rolling |
from West to East, IL hours would take him
10 China, in a West direction. Let him start
from the United States at sun set, and 1t would
be but their sun set when he arrived IN the
Chinese Empire.
fit be correct (Which is more than probably
that the upper parts ofour atmosphere do not
nar,ake Of the motion Of the earth, then II fol-
lows of course, that balloon might be made
TO circumnavigate the earth in one day; out
then it could travel but in one direction, and
that due West. Now add to the balloon,
wings, as before mentioned, and tail, by way
Of rudder, and il will be enabled to travel, IN
any direction, with facility hsYssSsNss %H'
known.
Could not the power Of steam be applied TO
the balloon with advantage? This would be
subject worthy the investigation Of Mr.. Per
kins, and perhaps of more utility than his steam
guns. EOLoo'
Cuyious.-On the farm Of Solomon Wood
worth in Cato, New York, the barrel of gun
has seen discovered completely embedded in
the heart of a soft maple tree, the outside Of
which was perfectly sound.
The old fashioned way OF advertising run
away wife, was-"Whereas--,m my wife, has
left INV bed and board,' sc. But MIR, Martin
Curtiss. of Addison, Advertises thus, in the
Verpennes Aurora-"Tbank God, my wife Su-
san has gone off from my board, and carried
off her bed" Sc