Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-08-31

MISREPRESENTATION oil ITS DtnenslOns,
Ballast, Heating Apparatus, and Life
BOnt. .....
Wednesdays Philadelphia Inquirer has a
lengthy account Of Prof. loves "Great
Western" balloon, with which he declares
he designs crossing the Atlantic within the
next fortnight. We make these extracts;
For the imitation of the monster twenty
inch main has been laid directly from the
gas-holder. When we state that seventy
FIVE men were required to convey one
quarter Of it to the tent, and that 1t required
100 gallons Of varnish to give it. Tone coat"
some idea may be formed Of its vast dimen-
sions. The canvas of which il is composed,
if fully spread out, would "roof i'm two
such buildings as the Academy of Music.
We give its dimensions below; Greatest
diameter, 100 feet; transverse diameter, l04
feet; hight, from valve to boat, 200 feet;
weight with outfit, 3M tuns; lifting
power (aggregate), 22N tuns capacity
of gas envelop. 725,000 cubic feet.
The car, or basket, which is suspended inn
mediately below the balloon, is made of
rattan, twenty-one feet in circumference,
and four feet deep. Its form is circular, and
it is surrounded by canvas. This car will
carry the Rronauts. A circular seat runs
around the interior; the walls and floor are
Us
venent distances, serving to support the
philosophical instruments with which OBJ
servations will be taken. Roomy Golfers are
provided in the car for the conveyance OF
provisions. A circular orifice in the floor,
leads to q short rope-ladder, which affords a
ready descent TO the boat
The Balast--The quantity of ballast ne
cessary tosteadyth the air-ship over
700 tuns. 1t consists of the common sand,
and lies in huge piles just outside Of the main
tent. Ascending power is impaired to the
balloon by dsposing of few handfuls oi
this material, and repeated tests have proved
its utility as a regulator in @ronautic travel
| The Lite-preSerDiRg Suit is constructed en-
| tirely of India-rubber, and was presented tc
| Mr.. Lowe by Mr.. Goodenough, ofNew York
| The principle of its construction is such as
| will commend it to those peculiarly inter
/ ested in such matters, and the adventures
! calculate their chances for life to be worth
| ninety-nine per cent. of their original in.
vestments with such an assuring adjunct.
The Lime Store, presented to Prof. Lowe
by Mr.. O. A. eager, who accompanied Prof
Wise on his recent aerial journey from st
Louis to Northern New York, is an ingen
ious contriyance for furnishing heat with
out the use of fire. 1t consists of tin box
fifteen inches in diameter and twenty inche
high, circular in form, and containing com
partments for heating water, shaking lin
and performing two kinds of cookery. TIL
caloric principle upon which it is constructe,
is simply the process of lime-slaking, whicl
affords a sufficient amount of heat to warn
the car, comfort the aronauts, no matte
how cold the outer temperature may be, an
provide the necessary appliances for warn
drinks and hotter food. In shape il some
what resembles an ordinary water-cooler, an
in our opinion, is one of the most ingeniou
appliances of the voyage. .tr
The Francis Life Boat.-The boat
named the Leohtine, in honor of the wife 9
Prof. Lowe. Its dimensions are: Length
twenty-four feet; depth, three feet; breadth {
beam, six feet. The Leontine is provide
with two air-chambers, having a capacit
three times greater than that of the chan
bers usually constructed in these boats--i
each screw-valve is placed for the convent
ence of slowing away supplies OF provision
and clothing, to be used in case of necessity
The outfit for the voyage includes suppl
of water and provisions sufficient for tn
consumption Of ten persons for six month
and the sea-worthy character of the ife-boa
which, the Professor states, is indorsed b
the most competent nautical authority, IL
sures the safety of the voyagers in any even
! even should they be compelled to abando
the balloon. In order TO provide for possib
contingencies, the boat has been fitted wit
a mast, twenty feet high, bearing o larl
'mutton-shoulder' sail; two rudders, vii
cords and tiller attached; four oars, tw
India-rubber buckets for water, yapi
stove, and an India-rubber covering, exten,
ing from stem to stern. The Profess,
stepped into the boat on Saturday, dresst
, himself in his submarine armor, and out
plunged into the, water and foated like
feather. There was a large number of pc
a sons assembled on the wharves, many
whom, on being told the nature of the bo
and its captain, exclaimed foolish man
: "guess his life isn't dear to him." etc. Shoui
2, Lowe make his ascension to Europe su
change for the pity, with which many no
, view him. 81 Iraasfb sr aso s5 l1oS,. n