The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-10-27
BALLOONS.

cast their eyes heavenward, sighed for the
wings OF dove, and imagined flying supernal
beings, ether-cleaying genii, distance destroy.
ing magiciahs, witches, and demons. To free
the soul from the clod of the earth this side of
the grave, to render the body imponderabe,
and superior to the laws Of gravitation, to that
fatalistic force which holds it down-tbis con-
aituted the most exalted idealism Of the early
wrists and romancers. The Orient literature
glstens with this supramundane machinery.
a moral truth or theological dogma was inva-
rlably enforced by recitation Of the violation
OF some obvious physical law which keeps man
TO the ground. To this day, that literature
and lis derivatives are so distinguished. A
Truth plainly told in the East will not be be-
fieyed. 1t must be mixed up with the impos-
etble. The epics of Homer, equally with the
Eedas and Vedant the Arabian Nights Enter
tainments, and the knight Grant tales of the
Ialddle ages, all deal in supernatural machine.
n. This universally of a desire to rise above
tie earth, and soar through the air, was the
lyrical foreshadowing of the possibilities of
science.
The first account we have of an attempt to
make machine of any kind to fly through
the air, is Of the artificial pigeon of Archytas
q cesebrated geometrician, who lived about 400
ysars before our era. According to Aulus Gel
hSoy hENHJtdS COusJTucLeu d WOODEN pigeon,
which could fly by means of mechanical powers
ard an aura spirit" The descriptions of this
mechanical bird are obscure. There is also
an account of man who tried to fly in Rome,
uuder the Emperor Nero, and lost his life
thereby. Roger Bacon, in the thirteenth Gen.
tary, imagined the possibility of large hollow
globe OF copper or other suitable metal, wrought
extremely thin, in order to have It as light as
possible, and to be filed with ETHEREAL air or LIQUID
hre, and then launched from some elevated
point when it will float like vessel on the
water Then came succession Of attempts
to ny through the air; and it is asserted that
With artificial wings, alternately running and
fy.ng, immense speed was achieved. Accord.
lne to the great Gronaut, Mr.. John Wise, this
Is most delightful mode of travelling. This
wtiter, in his admirable and interesting work
on &ronaptics, says, if we take a balloon of linn.
! ited size, about eighteen feet in diameter each
way 1t will, when inflated with hydrogen gas,
be, capable OF raising 100 pounds, independent
OF Is own weight. Now, if this be SO fastened
TO a mans body as not to interfere with the
tr~ use of his arms and legs, he may then bal.
las himeef so as TO be tri1e heavier than
tbs upward tendency of the balloon, which will
be peary in equilibrio.
Il then, he provides himself with pair of
wings, made On the bird principle, with socket.
joints to slip over his arms at the shoulders,
anFi grasping handle internally of each one
at he distance from the shoulder-ioint of the
wigg as the distance is from the shoulder-ioint
to iis hand, he may beat against the air with
his. wings, and bound against the air with his
tet5sso as TO make at least hundred yards at
each bound This, Mr.. Wise says, he has often
dosesn the direction of a gentle wind, with the
ai@'of his feet alone, after his balloon had de-.
seconded 10 the earth and, on one occasion,
trayersed a pine forest of several miles in
length, by bounding against the tops of the
trees. Such contrivance, he SAYS, would be-
OF ifestimable advantage to exploring expedi.
tons; landings to otherwise inaccessible noun.
talns, escapes from surrounding icebergs, ex-
ploratlons OF volcanic craters, traversine vast
swaps and morasses, walking over lakes and
seas bounding over isthmuses, straits, and
proTrontorles, or exploring the handicapped
peaks Of Chimborazo, could all, according tn
: -SUvSfvS-s tsrtrrfIg 7aairy- -srerrv nav,
elapsed since the discovery of balloons ia
Frahae, up 10 this time no practical advance
has been made in absolutely navigating the air.
The French Republic with the immense eager.
ness IN scientific Investigation which character
lied 4, instituted secret school of aeros.ation.
for tle purpose of making balloons useful in
war. The result Of this was, that in June.
1894, observations were made of the Austrian
campi and by signals conveyed to General
Jourdan, he was enabled to gain the victory of
Fleurus. A balloon was sent with Napoleon 8
army TO Egypt, and, after the capitulatiol at
Caro-, was returned to France, QEe, # report
90 not exaggerate, did in;nease service with
Id. doaard IN RECON- altering before the battle
of SofeYiua. Some valuable observations have
been made by means of scientific instruments
during ascensons Blot and Lussac in the ear
" part OF this century leading the way The
hrst ascension in Paris, in lisa, is recorded in
the tToc<s Verbal Of the Academy OF Sciences.
BY that We learn that ON November 81, 1888.
At the Chateau de la Muette, an experiment
was made with tho aerostatic machine of NJ. de
Montgolder. The sky was partly clouded,
wind northwest. At eight minutes after noon,
a mortar gave notice that the machine was
about to be filled. In eight mingte., notwith.
standing the wind, it was ready to set of, the
Marquis d Arlandea ana NJ. Pilatre de Roster
being IN ths car. II was at first intended 10 re.
ta.n the machine awhile with ropes, 10 Judge
what weight it would bear, and see that all was
right. But the wind prevented it rising yerti-
cally, and directed it toward one of the garden
walls the ropes made several rents In it, one
| of sig feet long,
1t was brought down again, and in two hours
was set right Having been FLIED again, it set
OH ut hity-iour minutes past one, carrying the
same persons. 1t rose in the most majestic
manner, and when it was about $50 feet high,
the intrepid voyagers took off their hats and
saluted the spectators. No one could help feel
ing mingled sentiment of fear aud admira-
uon' The yoyagers We're soon undistinguish-
able; but the rnaeEine, lowering upon the hor
con, and displaying the most beautiful figure
rose at least three thousand feet high, and was
visible all the time, The account goes on to
| uinro nd g h.
min Franklin, among others, +" of the Academy
! OF Sciences The machine was seventy feet
| high, and forty-six in diameter; it contained
| 10000 cubic feet, and carried weight of from
! l,600 to LOO pounds.
Mr.. Wise is of opinion that great i'm prove.
ments may be made IN the fabrication of bal
looms and since his celebrated VOYAGE from
ST. Louis to the lakes, distance of l,a00 miles,
| he maintains the certain existence of current
TO the east, which will enable him TO cross the
! Atlantic IA Z balloon. 1t is certain that, even
| with the present means of making balloons,
and the difficulties attending the dishevelled
efforts in constructing them with small pecHn..
airy means, ballooning is not . particularly
dangerous mode of travelling, NJ. Wise is a
! living proof of this, de Aas made about five
hundred ascensioas OF various kinds, and is still
uninjpred. His balloon has burst in mid air,
end came down parachute-wise, in which ope.
ration he says there is no danger. This is a
very comfortable fact, for it would be d;escuit
| to imagine more awkward predicanens than
to have the Inflated ship Of aif collapse at three
riles height, yi.hasl such an assurance. On
the autjeci Of the hygienic effects of ballosnina
Mr. Wise is enthusiastic. The blood, we are
told, begins to course more freely when up n
mile or two With q hsliooA--tAe exeretory YES
! sells are more freely opened-the gastric Juice
| ponls into the stomach more rapidiy-the liver,