The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1863-10-27

! We have this week the pleasure to record tho
success of the most extraordinary invention of the
age, II not the most Of any that the world ever
saw-at least the greatest stride in invention ever
made by single individual
! In October last, Dr. Solomon Andrews, Of Perth
Amboy, N. j., commenced the construction Of a
war @rostat, for reconnoitering purposes, on his
own responsibility, not being able after submitting
his plans TO the War Department, 20 make tho
hqporable Secretary Of War nsec the utility OF
machine which would 60 over into secesh and re-.
connoitre the force aud position of the enemy
His plans showed on the face of them, 10 ans. one
not stupid, that the machine could not do other
wise than 60 ahead in any direction in whiea she
bow was pointed, and that, too, with any amount
of power or force which might be desired, and
which greeubacks would readily procure, Tho
power required and the propeling apparatus added
but little weight to the erostat, whether Of larger
or smaller dimensions; consequently 1t did not in
crease the dimensions of the seronaut beyond that
of balloons of ordinary construction, much less ir
size than many that are now made. The machine
made by DIR. Andrews would carry up three men,
in addition to all the fixtures and panphernala
Tor its forward movement. 1t contains $4,000
cubic feet Of hydrogen gas. II carried him. weigh.
ing l72 pounds, and 266 pounds ballast.
Upon bis invitation, last spring. we have sent
our reporters at three different times TO witness
his experiments with his machine, apd have
It's form was that Of three cigars pointed at both
sSds secured together at their longitudinal equa-
tors, covered by net and supporting by 120 cords
a car sixteen feet below under It's centre
The car was twelve feet long, made of basket
work, and was sixteen inches wide ut the bottom.
The @rostat, or cylindroids, were made Of varnsh-
ed linen, like ordinary balloons.
On Friday, the 4th inst, he made his last expe-
riment, and demonstrated 10 an admring crowd
ha ix ncrx H.. r.
guiding her in any and every direction with
small rudder, having only seventeen square feet Of
surface. He made no long fight in one straight
line, lest hs.modus operdndi should be divulged;
but by most ingenious plan demonstrated her ca
pablities beyond all possibility of doubt, whilst he
prevented public knowledge of his method OF
After few short nights, to satisfy himself and
few friends that all right aud that she would
do all he had contemplated, he set her off in sp-
raj course upward, she going ut rate ofno Jess
than l2O miles per hour, and describing circles in
the dir Of more than one and half miles in cir .
cumference. She made twenty revolutions before
she entered the upper strata Of clouds and was lost
to view She passed through the first strata Of
dense white clouds, about two miles high, scatter
ing them as she entered in all directions. In her
upward fight could be distinctly seen her rnpid
movement in q contrary direction to Che moving
clouds, and as she came before the wind, passing
by them with great celerity AS she was distinct
y seen thus to move, both below aud above the
clouds on the clear blue sky, at o'clock p. IN,
with sun shining clear upon her, there could be
no mistake or optical delusion 10 the beholder.
AS to her propelling power and motive appara-
tus, IT .behooves ms not now 20 speak. IL might
be considered contraband Of war, or afording aid
md comfort to the enemy; for with such machine
n the hands off JEFF Davis, the armies around
Washington would be powerless to preserve the
capital.
We think DR.. Andrews deserves more praise for
he patriotic ingenuity with which he has preserved
nis secret, and yet tried his grand experiment in
he open air before the public, than even that
manifested in the conception and construction Of
his machine. OF that and its beautiful simplicity
wc may have occasion to speak hereafter. We
bave the documcnts.-Nep York Hcrdh