The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1859-10-13
Systematic Ballssaias-Letter Ers1 mr.
JshR Wlss.

SeoH "Dos
The very frequent questions put TO me con-
cerning aerial navigation, hs difficulties is psrls, It's
futty, DC, the for my making this COM
munication. From my earliest manhood, md Cor |
profession and practice Of ballooning and nat
amount of eIpcr.nos would certainly develop n any
ordinary mind, rntionsl conception Of ia .erit.
out Of one hundred experimental Investigations, he
win logically infsI that the results are tho rule aud
the oIccption the accident. Well, this ratio holds
good both 10 the great eastward currents well ~
the saety Of balooning Ont of 13 accents In which
reached an Attude Of mile. the balloon sailed 70 the
east 112 tmes. In tho exception she remained nearly
stationary-lsnded miles west Of the point Of ascen
sion out Of 2s+ clear aerial voyages, and 2ls topical
aud the loss Of two balloons by their getting away
from me. Both Of the accidents occurred In my
novitiate--one, beng dashed against house when
the balloon, when descended, ignited by candle,
and causing an explosion The loss Of tho two bal
looms was VA css.od by being & IN =, ws
Tho latter catastrophe occurred from my mistake, q
great height, In taking tho juniper bogs for prares
the safety Of bsioonng in proper hands You would
surely not expect safe ard very prosperous voyage
in aship bound from New York TO san Francisco, II
she we're oihcored by captain who had only one
4 years expenence In navigation In an oyster-boat.
Even this comparison tolls fayorably 10 balooning,
40 Ear As It's Int rinsic pertls arc in question.
II | had not determined TO put at rest this mooted
| question of haoonng sasely and systematically
across the ooeans and around the globe ct my own
tas' gS,ns Sich incoStravsrtibi, scisntiie suste-
snoe Az t Cav, no doubt Of its results and thereby
receive that aid which would enable mo 10 rna<s an
ocant, ve, Ss.,ab, In an on,srnrise thai hss Gre
ated 40 much missiving; but as that would 10 10 mo
more tedious PopleNng, and embarrassing, s q
consummssIan, though the outfit will not be ss com.
and ao,'. uor. 10 eyn.nd ,ou viii sscse me from
| me tnU i'm a newsraper article more than the main
stumbling blocks IA tho way OF the public confidence
| to A., rrsHlts
| OF the ST. Louis trip, wherein over q thouaaI
miles wsre tayersed in 10 hours have little 20 say
IL only showed that space can be traversed with
saloons. "'' '''' s'''' '''~'' " N'' '''' "
| Another stumbling block has arisen In the public
mind by the late trip of Me.srs. LAMousrAis and
| Han oda have read Mr.. IL q narrative with much
lnere-t and care II seems N strange that pnr-
son well qualified In scientific observations as Mr..
II. spp,ars 10 be in his thoruomot1eal nctnsH, dn-
| atmuch as those notings must have been made
: l with a v,ry sensitive instrument " show such long
range. in such short increment. Of time, 2. IA ?
in the frst ISndng, which was made an hour after h,
'put up" his ''note book, poncil and watch, aud s
'trd down in the bsS ct, a. much at homo though
bs.ns MADE near 80 whsye ,ssy heard "a ioc anoslv
wh stle, and occasionally could h ar wagons rimb
udns, Ie,f @ nm sn slmost eoss,ess sssonsas' A.
.coSsoios there was something IA the sky mons tru
''snd unurial."
Here certainly WAS Q better place 10 come down
though It weru In tine woods than 10 proceed into
| tneIo inh0a pitabo country. Mr.. HANDBOOK must b.
well enough acquainted with the nature Of the region
into which they were going. Irstsad II coming dowr
here, prudent mronsuts should have dnno, he says
" We sailed along, ,contented and chAtty (, until AbOu
half pnst seven, when we distinctly saw lights, an,
heard the roaring II a mighty waterfall. We dsscend
| al into a valley, near very high mountain, but a
tho place appeared rathor furbldding, We concludes
aOycr With 80 pounds Of ballast, and skywa-d W
| sailed" This was sheer recklesansss, We oAnno
e count It stupidity and this must not bo turned
L A. IA - L.lI..