Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1859-07-12
The late Balloon Voyage.

Mr. Wise writes t. the y. \. Tribune II
regard tn his balloon voyage, and anon,
other things says
Il say there is current Of air blowing from
West To East continually, and this curren
runs never less than fifty miles an hour: "i
tener sixty. se, entv and eighty. Prof. ten
~ thinks il l. the return current al tile 'rad
winds. A. We ascend hig her III the curren
il runs faster until We find it changing lit
tie South Of east. The lower current. nea
the earth. runs toward the North 81 last.
have found these currents III ali times d"
the year from the 1T ut April - the Eth .
December. In nv correspondence with Chas
Green ut London. u scientific rronaut 4"
much experience. learn from him that the>'
current, exist likewise i'll Europe. From IN,
experience of finding them thIrty-nIne time
out OF forty trials. | contend that regular AM
precise voyages can be made from West L
East. and e. places fifteen and twenty de
gree> North If East from the point Of start
ing. Why. then. il is asked. did We not sal
10 the city of New York and deliver our ex
press bag: Ii i q very rational enquiry. ana
deserves 4 rational explanation.
1T could have been done. and should hav,
been done The reason why II was not done
j. this:-SUme Of our party did not provide
themselves with extra clothing Immediate
" after leaving ST. Louis. | took the balloon
10 au alttuie az which she was making
due East In this current We sailed until
some OF my companions >hlyered with the
cold, 81 that the balloon qulyered with the
tremOr. Mr. La Mountain had taken no ex'
ira clothing. and the other two were not fully
provided for the change of temperature.
hri Un two under shirts. wooden drawers.
cloth coat. CASHMERE pants, aud when over
these had two woolen blankets, the expos
tulations of nv companions 10 come down
into more cUngenial temperature couli not
be unheeded. admon!shed them, however,
Of our advertisement Ia sail for New York:
but IN response was told that II We got into
the state. the programme would be fulfilled.
! also told them that the lower current would
take Us on the lakes. rs II was coming from
the Southwest; but 10 this it was answered
that we could cross the lakes if We had ballast
enough when we get to them.
We finally agreed upon that plan, and To
make the voyage one OF distance and rxper-
iments. One experiment was to try and
sail near the earth or water. We did sal!
one hundred and seventy miles down-Oyer
Lake Erie. and AZ ~ tine over uou feet
above the water This showed that balloons
have no greater tendency 10 water than {"
earth. Many rronaut> have stated that bal
looms will not keep up over the water.
lOu refer Ia my silence as 10 the prOpe!-
linz machinery That had not devised nor
recommended. and had no faith in It's Ell
cheney from the beginning, a. Mr. eager
and La Mountain we'll know They never
made All attempt 10 try il. Ii va, thought
L. endanger the balloon while hitching OF
the car and boat, and was thus ungeared, and
we'll knew then that they would not attempt
T. screw on the fans when We We're a!oit, un-
less they would incur danger "a great a.
that incurred by Thur-ton, when b. attemp-
ted an unnecessary feat III straiiing his
valve plate. Propellers upon the ordinary
rugged balloon will do no good, for this rra-
son: The car or platform upon which the
propellers are 10 be- worked, !. not sub
>tantially fixed 10 the balloon. Hanging
by ropes from the balloon, il only serves
to wabble il about, and at best to giy-
il rotary and gyrating motion. tired
II fourteen years ago. With All rquat"-
rial hoop around the balloon. with wood
en- braces L. the car which would Civ"
stability and unity, something may be done
with proprllcrs and ruidcr. You will thus
see that have not failed on that point, a.
the machinery was none Of my contriSance.
Ny purpo>e wa, simply to make - long yoy-
aye from West to East, and III thar voyage
learn what may b. done Systematically with
balloons.
AIN convinced that We can Q" from 81.
Louis 10 Baltimore Philadelphia, and New
York city. III balloons. with system aud pre-
cisi"n. hold, and AIN ready 10 demonstrate
it. ~ soon H. can raise six thousand dollars.
that we can sail from New York to Great
Britain with system and precision. This We
can do with our present knowledge Of bal
looming. All ask Is i fair chanrr-t little
more rxprrlrncc-"ne. tw", or three more
trans continental trip-.