The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-10-14

| ness, Wnlcn carries the Car, boat, and every
thing to be taken up. The netting, together
with its rope and hoop, weigh about -25
pounds.
The car, which is twenty feet in clrcum-
ferance and four feet deep, is made of rattan,
having hole in the floor, eighteen inches in
diameter, from which stout ladder con-
meets to the boat, twenty feet beneath.
The car is circular in form, surrounded with
canvass, and is suspended twenty feet below
the concentrating hoop. From this hoop
down to the edge of the basket is curtain,
thus converting the basket into a room.
| Windows are inserted in the canvass, that
the eronauts may, while protected from the
cold by their canvass wall, have means of
making observations. The car is moreover
to be warmed by newly invented heating
apparatus, denominated the I" lime stove,"
a continuance, we believe, of Mr.. Lowe him
self, detailed description Of which we shall
give at some future day. This stove, be-
sides warming the apartment, will also serve
to perform some of the culinary operations
The voyagers will thus have double pro-
lection against the extreme cold experienced
in high ATTITUDES, and which has heretofore
been one of the most prominent annOyances
OF ballooning.
Beneath and suspended to the car is
Francis metallic lifeboat, As feet in length,
eight feet beam, and four feet IN depth.
The boat will have an Ericsson caloric en-
CINE, for the, purpose of working propeller
on the screw principle. This propeller is
provided with twenty fans, and Mr.. Lowe
70 Lo Ia <n o1o
depressing power equal too 80 pounds, thus
doing away with the necessity of ballast,
although, of course, sufficient of the latter
will be taken in case of a contingency.
The propeller will also enable the eronaut
to keep Storage way and prevent rotation
of the balloon. In case an accident should
happen, proper means are at hand to cut
tho balloon from the boat, and the latter
will then be propelled by the screw and the
calOric engine, in the same manner as
screw steamer. The boat is provided with
mast and sail, and fuel for the engine.
Water and provisions, sufficient for six
months will be taken in India rubber casks
and boxes. In the elevated region to which
the voyagers will ascend, water freezes, and
would obviously burst wooden vessels in
which it might be contained. The use Of
India rubber casks, which are certainly
wise expedient, removes this difficulty. An
India rubber folding lifeboat will form part
of the outfit. Two copper buoys, weighing
100 and 200 pounds respectively, for the
purpose of condensing the gas, will be at-
tached to the balloon. These buoys involve
new principle, which Mr.. Lowe intends
trying on this trip.
Mr.. Lowe has also invented very origi-
nal and ingenious continuance with which
to determine the direction of the different
currents in the upper atmosphere. This
consists of an apparatus which he calls the
sounding line )" as its name indicates, it
is a rope or cord, two or three miles long,
if necessary, with ribbons or streamers at
certain intervals, which will indicate the
directions of the different strata $50 to speak,
of currents. If the 4ronaut finds by con-
sulting his compass that the balloon is car
ried by current too far north or south of
his desired destination, he drops the " sound
ing line," with telescope discovers how far
down the proper current is-being shown
by the streamers-and with the fan propel-
Ter lower himself to that level.
The balloon is provided with an ordinary
ships anchor, weighing 100 pounds, to land
with the rope attached to it is 100 feet
long and 4 inches in circumference. Two
or three sets of small grapnels are on board,
to be used when the large anchor is not
necessary. A couple of miles of small rope
will be taken to tow the buoys when thrown
overheard, and for any incidental purposes
which may arise.
Flags of every nation will be carried, and
passports tc every country in Europe will
be obtained from the Secretary of State
for the voyagers, who are some eight in
number. Many persons have already applied
for passage-many of them offering immense
sums for the privilege--but their requests
have been invariably denied, as the first trip
is intended to be purely scientific, to solve
the problem whether ballooning to Europe
is practicable.
Among the articles to be taken on the
trial trip are one hundred small parachutes,
by which to drop letters, papers, and docu-
ments of any kind, to steamers or vessels on
the ocean over which the balloon may pass.
These packages will be done up in India
rubber mail bags, which will float upon the
water. There are, besides, one mercurial
and one ancroid barometer, two marine and
four ordinary compasses, thermometers, tele-
scopes OF every power. a quadrant sextant,
and chronometer, and, in short, everything
that is necessary to make careful and correct
observations, and note the natural phenome-
ma which occur at elevated ATTITUDES.
Several carrier doves will be taken along,
to dispatched home on arrival anywhere, or
in the event of an accident. Roman candles
and signal rockets will be provided in case
of being thrown on any shore where it will
be necessary to signal distant vessels.
One hundred copies of each daily and
illustrated newspaper in this city will be
taken along, to be delivered in London and
Paris two days after their publication here.
Each person will be provided with an India
rubber suit, TO serve both as a protector
against the cold and as life preserver in
the water.
The entire weight of the balloon and its
appendages is 311atons. Its lifting capacity
is 2211a tons, leaving net lifting capacity
of 19 tons. The balloon will, therefore, be
capable of carrying a great quantity of
freight and goOdly number of passengers
when an airship line to Europe is established.
The first passengers will be the aronaut
himself, Mr.. Lowe, several scientific seamen
and landsmen and the representatives of the
press, together with gentleman who will
act as the historian of the occasion.