Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-02-19
A Daring AerOnaut.

Tue fascinating problem of the nav
igation of the atmosphere is about to be
brought again before the attention of the
public by an attempt to cross the Atlantic
from New York in balloon, which enter
prise is to be undertaken by Mons. A.
Chevalior, an aeronaut of extended Euro
pean reputation. M. Chevalier arrived in
this country about fortnight ago, and
has already succeeded in gaining the conf
dence and support of our drst scientific
men. He is by birth Swiss, about 80
years of age, of a modest yet self-pos.
sessed demeanor, short in stature, with
black hair, eyes, and mustache, and q
pleasing aud open expression of counte-
nance. For dozen years past, Chevalier
has been an enthusiast in aerOstatics. He
spent his inherited fortune on flying
machines, and has ever since experienced
on account OF his penchant succession Of
ups and downs in life extraordinary even
for an aeronaut. NJ. Chevalier's latest in
vention is steam flying machine, which
may be briefly described as being con-
structed after the models Of the bird
long wing. like sails project from either
side of the iron body of the ship, and a
fan-like arrangement at the stern stands
in the place of the tail of the
bird, and serves its purpose in
raising or depressing the machine
in its course through the air. Look
ing at the fine picture representing 1t soar
ing in mld-air over plains and mountains,
as it appears in a French periodical, the
only really astonishing thing about the air
monster is that it would not soar when
Chevalier tried il, but broke down and
left its sanguine inventor "dead broke
too. This and similar accidents have OF
in the least succeeded in disheartening
him in his life search for the solution of
the great problem; they only throw a
stronger light on the obstacles in the way.
After such mishaps, Chevalier bounds
aloft elastically in his balloon for the de-
light of the million on some fete day in
Paris, or Marseilles, or Lyons, or London,
or Dublin, and thus repairs the losses of
his exchequer for fresh oveTEauling of
his flying steamship. In this way he has
made hundreds of ascents, in every coun-
try in Europe, and in Australia Once
he sailed in his balloon from Paris beyond
the boundaries of Russia. Onanother oc-
casion he crossed the St. Georges Channel
from Dublin into England. In one of his
trips he made the extraordinary flight of
700 miles in four hours. In another
ascent made for the Marquis Of Butte,
Just before coming 10 this country, he
was driven As miles in an hour. One
can readily believe in looking at
the Chevalier's cellar, pleasant eyes,
and firm, quiet mouth, that he is
stranger to physical fear. But
about his transatlantic trip from New
York-he undertakes it partly for the
great effect it will have, if successful, on
his "business on the other side of the
water, and not less to determine the exist
ence of continuous "belt" Of westerly
currents which the philosophers say must
exist at the hight of 5000 to 10000 feet
above the surface of the earth. M. Che
Waller has brought with him, in complete
readiness, the balloon in which he pro-
poses to make his long and perilous jour
ney. 1t is of q peculiar shape, and Of
these dimensions; 95 feet in height, $50
feet in diameter capacity for gas 125, 900
cubic feet. The car, being made OF bam-
boo, and in the shape of house, resembles
long bamboo hut, and will probably ac-
commodate as many passengers as will
desire to go upon the voyage. nj CheVa-
lier is desirous OF making the Start at as
early date as possible, and, at all events,
before the return OF warm weather. His
reason for this is that the balloon would
suffer dangerous loss of gas by expan-
sion in the heat of warm suns. rs stated
above, CheValier has shown some of the
scientific men of this city that he is not a
mere Snowman has interested them in
his undertaking, and will proceed to per.
feet the preparations for his interesting
and unprecedented voyage under propi-
tious circumstances.-NeD York Tribune.