Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1873-09-20
The Transatlantic Balloon---Prepara-
tions for the Start---Equipment.

age was exhibited to the public, with all It's
equipments, at the Capitoine grounds, in
Brooklyn, from which place, ".0ld Probahili-
ties being agreeable, it will take its fight to-
morrow evening. Messrs. Wise and Donall-
son, who will navigate the prodigious air ship,
propose to ascend to asupposed steady east
ward air current, caused by the motion of the
earth, whose velocity, it is believed, at the
greatest height reaches the almost inconceiVa-
BILE speed OF thousand miles anShour. But
they do not propose to rise to that height, pre-
lerring a more moderate speed, and they will
be satisfied perhaps If they iud any steady
eastward current at ALL They count upon
reaching Europe in two days but will, 1t is
said, not be disposed to growI if they get there
within a week. Air currents are As wei!
known as the currents Of the ocean, but are not
so thoroughly understood, and hence not only
the danger but the doubt attending the discov-
cry Of any peculiar current. The eastward cur
rent is only one of number. Other currents
flow in other directions and it is not known
whether they are subject in any way to disturb
ing influences. The present experiment, which
has been so elaborate y prepared, may solve the
problem as to the practicabiliiy of air naviga-
ton. The following is a description Of the
balloon and its equipments:
The balloon, as it will stand ready foT dcpar
ture. with the lif boat underneath the car just
touching the earth, will be one hundred and
sixty fee: high, or over three times the hi ght
of an ordinary house. The globe itself is about
the width of folr house fronts. II is able 10
lift from the ground, including its own weight,
IA 400 pounds, and has net carrying capacity
for passengers aud ballast of 5 200 pounds -
The lifting power of Illuminating gas-that is
10 sav. tie difference between its own weight
and that of the airs thlrty-six pounds for
each 100 cubic feet 1t is contemplated to put
into the balloon 100000 cubic feet IL will
contain 600 600 cubic feet at the surface Of the
earth. but in the rarefied atmosphere Of a mile
and a half above, the amount to be taken will
expand to completely fill it. Should it become
necessary to let any Of the gas escape, there i,
circular valve in the top Of the globe, three
feet in diameter made OF Spanish cedar and
brass, with a rubber-coated clapper.
The balloon Is made OF unbleachel sheeting
of thick, close quality. For forty feet from
The valve this material is doubled, and still a
third thickness was added of what is known as
Manchester Mills blcached, oi which 250
wards were REQUIRED. There are in all 43lG
wards of cloth, aud there are l4,OSO yards or
] 80 iu ,tttr1 IN 1o- En0
/ stitches were made. The stitching WAS per
/ formed at the show rooms Of the Domestic
Sewing Machine Company by twelve seam
stresses.
The network is composed Of three-strand
tarred ropes, Known as marlIne." The cir
cumlerence of the net is three hundred and
eighteen meshes, and the breaking strength Of
i each strand is two hundred ana cighiy-eighi
/ pounds. which makes the combined breaking
strength 9l,5sl pounds, or nearly forty-six
/ tons. At its lower part it is attached to fifty
/ three quarter inch Manila ropes, each flty feet
/ long. These ropes viii converge to what il
called the concentrating ring, to which the cal
ropes will be attached. The weight of the
marine is FIVE hundred pounds, while $500
/ feet of Manila rope will be required to attach
] Tee lNAlU. ~ Lllt ltN- AtI AVuN'HAlhNlt- =
riag part Of the apparatus requiring great
/ strength has been made ct the best gas pipe
wrapped with cord and is four feet 10 diane
| ter enc two inches thick. The concentrating
/ ropes converge from the lower C ige Of the net
/ ting to this lipg, and the ropss which hang
I below aud form tue framework of the car alsl
attached 10 it.
Tie car is fifteen feet high and nine feet FIVE
inches in diameter at the widest part lu shape
tmay betechnically described as double trun-
Gated cone, with the two cones joining ut their
bases, and the upper being twice Is long as the
lower The sixteen ropes which form its frame
work pass from the concentrating ring down
over a distendng hoop ten feet below the ring
and nine feet five inches in diameter, thence
down four feet further to another distending
hoop seven feet eight inches IN diameter, aud
then unite under this aforementioned hoop
Upon each Of these hoops is laid floor forming
three compartments, into the upper one OF
which the voyageur could stand il it were ne
ces,ary to cut away the lower part in an emer-
gency. The middle compartment is nicely car
peted. and contains all the scientific apparatus.
The lower part is to be used as a cellar and
storage room for provisions, ballast, graphing
irous tools, &c. Light is to be obtained by
electricity. by means Of the Geissler vacuum
tubes, and heat for cooking purposes by lime
stove. or small shcet-iron box, IN which lime Is
Stacked
Small parachutes are to be taken rs q means
Of communicating with vessels, and nanber
of signal-lghts Of various kinds, as well as
twelve carrier pigeons Of famous breed One
of the brds. Ariel is called the champion Of
the world lie once flew from Union Square,
in this city, 70 RivercliG, Connecticut dis
tauce Of sixty-fjur miles, in thirty miuutes.-
These birds will be dispatched at different times
as long as land is in sight.
The lifeboat is a lap-sireaked, sloop-rigged,
center board craft, twenty-five feet six inches
long, with five feet and ten inches breadth Of
beam, and two feet and six inches depth. The
keel is Of the best Ohio white oak, and the tim
bers and slaves Of the same material. The
skin" or body, is constructed Of American
white cedar chosen on account Of its extreme
lightness, combined with great strength. In
every respect it is model Of strength and
completeness Of outfit 1t was built by Inger-
soil, and will be suspended below the car. A
small paper canoe will also be taken with the
expedition Ball. Sun Tuesday.
BABYIs a CABBAGE BARREL.-A gentleman
who was in the Georgetown market this morn
ing reports that a lady purchased a barrel Of
-. r.. = .,,rr,,af 4,