The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-05-28
HOW THE GAS AND BALLAsr ARE sAyEDp

HOW THE GAS AND BALLAsr ARE sAvED?
It's here that NJ. Chevalierss own invention,
the s'compensator" balloon, comes into play.
Attached to the lower part of-LEsperance is .
second or reservoir balloon, which is not in
fiated ut the earth, but is ready to receive the
excess Of gas resulting from expansion at high
elevation. Professor Chevaisf has also devised
an ingenious eontrivance to secure q rebound
of the balloon from the depression consequent
upon one Of these flights without any expendi-
ture Of ballast, which, of course, is most pre-
cious on q long ocean trip. Across the hoop,
to which is fastened the netting that covers
the balloon above and the car below, he has
extended wlndlass made of. q hollow cylinder.
A rope Of sufficient strength and length is at
taohed to and wound upon this windlass. At
the lower extremity Of the rope are fastened,
at proper intervals, number OF small water.
proof canvas bags, whose mouths are kept
omen by small rings. Between these at stated
distances are disposed nunber OF small con
ical floats, which are intended to serve the pur-
pose Of supporting the length OF rope when 1t
reaches the sea by the depression Of the bal
loon. As the balloon descepds the lower por.
tion Of the rope is gradually deposited upon
the surface Of the sea- relieving the ball oon OF
its weight, until q sufficient quantity has been
thus disposed Of o.arfest the balloons further
descent. Suppose the ballSon TO have passed
through rain showers or clouds highly charged
with vapor during the night and the ropes OF
the netting and other parts Of the .spparatu us
| to have become heavy with moisture: Not less
than 400 or 500 pounds weight is, often ADDED
to a balloon in this manner, and II there be no
sun to dry up the moisture the added weight
brings the balloon to the ssEth; AZ so9p. % how. S
Sss;ns 90 tn sn trsiI on the sntfsee the balloon
ceases to fall. and continued on ita way ct an
unyarying elevation until thh sun or wind takes
the heavy moisture out Of the. rigging, when
abe ia enabled to regain her$ rayious~ altitude
ID thsades. Nov; aRxin the rope fsctsae' .
check to too Great ascent with it's attendant
loss Of gas. The water bags on the rope have
been alled Us they were trailed through the
water, and the increased weight prevents a
high flight, and keeps the balloon down to her
work, 30 to speak, With the whole original
power or buoyancy Of the rebound. By this
simple and beautiful arrangement OF the rope
with its water-bsgs, the ballast Of the balloon
is diminished or increased at will; indeed the
ballast adjusts itself without the Intervention
Of the aeronaut, according to the necessity OF
the moment. Prof. Chevalier is confident
that by means of the compensation and the
rope ballast with such o balloon as l. Esper-
ance, constructed for the occasion, elevate on
can be maintained for period Of one month
should circumstances require it,
HOW THE DIRECTION Is PRESERVED.
The eecond OF the two great problems Of the
undertaking is how to keep the balloon on a
direct course. Chevalier is not by any means
q victim to q belief in differentiation. In
fact, he has perfect contempt for the balloon,
considered as an air-ship. aud says it is good
for nothing but for the purpose Of scientific
observation. A balloon, he says, go far from
being ship is not even buoy let loose from
it's moorings for buoy floats on the surface,
but the aerial sea has no surface. A balloon,
Gays the Professor, is q jeIy-fsh immersed in
fluid by whose every current 1t is helplessly
carried to and fro the jelly fish makes feeble
efforts to direct it's own c1qIss, with about as
much success as those OF q balloon. How,t' n,
is NJ. Chevalier to know when he ascends from
Landmann,s Park next July, whether he is
abou: to cross the Atlantic or the Pacific The
answer Is, that though Chevalier does not BE-
lieye in balloons, he does believe in currents.
In every ascent during his long career, he
saws, he found on reaching an altitude any
where between 5000 and 10000 feet that the
wind was invariably from the west or rather
from the northwest (; however way the wind
was blowing near the ground, in each Of his
ono hundred and si1ty-fve ascents he found
northwest current in the upper atmosphere.
Chevalier believes this current to be q discovery
of his own, and it is FOR the gloiy OF establish
ing his theory, rather than OF sailing three or
four thousand miles over the water; which he
regards quito an everyday atfair) that he un-
lea to Europe.
TIE GUIDE ROPE.
He will be greatly assisted in determining
the actual course which his balloon may be at
any time pursuing by the rope suspended from
the car, described above AS tho rope, when
touching the water, will always drag in the
rear, it will only be necessary to observe its
direction by the compass, and that of the
balloon itself is at once indicated. Another
equally important determination winch the
guide rope will afford, and which will not bs
attainabie by any other means, will be the
distance at which the balloon is from the i'm
mediate surface OF the earth at any time when
the view is obstructed by clouds, fog or dark
ness. The barometer affords information only
as to the height above the mean level of the sea,
and, without the warning given by the guide
rope, the balloon might at any time, when
sailing too low, be dashed against mountainous
waves; and, owing to the velocity with which 1t
would BIZ moving Oh the wings OF storm. such
q shock would be fatal.
FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR THE VOYAGE.
Mons. Chevaller may be seen almost any
morning quietly at work putting the finishing
touches on his balloon at Landmarks Park.
He is quiet, unobtrusive. yet prepossessIng
young man Of SO years, OF dark complexion and
with black hair and moustache. He has large
and kindly black eve, and o acountenance which
imprs ssses one that it's owner is q stranger to
physical fear. He converses and writes in ex-
cellent English, though he speaks and writes
in French, German and Russian as we'll. He
is very communicative and entertaining in elu-
cidating his plans and theories. He has not
yet determined as to how many and what con-
panions he will take along with him on his
voyage. The applications for passage on the
rare but perillOus journey have been pouring in in
the accommodations OF the ship will be given
these aspiring candidates for aeronautic fame
during tho several preliminary ascents at the
end of rope which will be made at Land
manus Park next week. The fRal vanishing
of the balloon has just been completed, the
valve was being adjusted yesterday, aud the
Professor is busy with the maze Of knotted
cordage which forms the rigging OF the silken
ship. life-ratt has been presented L'Espe-
rance which will be suspended bsneath The car
Of the ballo N in readiness for use should the
aeronaut find it desirable to take to the watery
element. The balloon is IS feet high, 65 feet
in diameter and has buoyancy capable Of sus-
lo.-