The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1873-09-02
The Transatlantic Balloons Car and
its Contents.

be marvel Of lightness, strength and
convenience. 1t will necessarily be a
combination of store-house, dormtory,
workshop and observatory. 1t will be
supported at one point only-its apex
and besides its own weight and that OF
the passengers and ballast, will have to
bear the strain Of the life.boat below.
1t may be described in brief as to con-
sist, in outline, Of twelve stout ropes
looped, with their twenty-four ends tied
in the supporting ring above. These loops
will be distended into bell-like shape by
three great hoops of stout ash, the lower
of which, eight feet in diameter, will sup
port flooring strong enough to hold most
of the ballast,
This flooring will be laid of Two layers
of narrow ash boards, the direction Of
one layer being at right angles to that
of the other. This arrangement is designed
to aid in resisting the pressure on the
hoops from the ropes, which will pass
around under the bottom of the car
Four and half feet above this floor is
anot,s.ar, resting on a hoop ten feet in
diameter. This will consist of one layer
of light pine 6itards, to be removed and
thrown out if necessary, but which, new
ertheless, will be the " main floor" OF the
airy tenement. Between these two
floors, and extending about four feet
above the upper one, the siding will con-
sist of stout rope network, with msshes
Of about four inches. Outside of this,
ard between it and the ropes, there will
be casing Of stout canvass or duck, ex-
tending, however, only to the upper floor
About ten feet above this floor will be
placed the third distending hoop, six feet
in diameter, above which the main ropes
will taper directly to the ring.
From the apex to the main floor the
car will be covered with duck, the lower
part of which will be cut and arranged to
be rolled up in seperate pieces, like cur.
tains. There will be four windows cut
in the convass siding, to look from in case
in will be necessary to fasten the curtains
down. There will also be an opening
through the top, out Of which one may
climb on the rope ladder into the ropes
above. A man.hole will also be cut in
the hoor to allow access to the " cellar"
where the ballast, etc., is stored. From
ring to lower floor the car will be about
sixteen feet. The ring will be huge af.
fair, consisting of three different pieces Of
metal aud designed to stand all tests,
either Of tension or jar. As an appropri-
ate adornnent, flags of various nations
will be displayed from the upper part of
the car.
Still more interesting perhaps, than
description Of the car, is a list of the
things to be placed in it. The most
prominent object in the lower apartment
represented in the sketch, is a basket ca
pable Of holding number of men, and
designed to be attached to the ring above,
should it be found necessary to cut the
large car away piecemeal to tighten the
air ship, or in case it should be deemed
desirable through distrust Of the large
balloon from injury, it may be attached
the small balloon, the tender, and the
party have a new lease Of life.
1t will also enabled them to separate,
leaving portion of them only to continue
the voyage, the main balloon being thus
relieved of a portion of its fixed weight.
In this department also will be placed
the ballast consisting of sand in twenty
five pound bags, and great part also in
casks of water.
The water ballast will be especially
valuable, because q small stream may be
set flowing at night. hanged to compensate
the loss of boyant power of the balloon.
Here, too, will be placed in abundance
various kinds of provisions consisting
largely Of canned food. Axes, hatchets,
graphing irons, ropes in coils, and other
nerpsseru things will be slowed away.
Torpedoes, with parachute attachments,
will also be provided to be let fall in the
night. These will be set so as to explode
when they strike the water. The direc-
tion of the fash will indicate the direc-
tion the balloon is drifting. AS to the
furniture Of the upper department, the
main feature is the windlass, which may
be put to several uses, the principal Of
which will be the management of the
small balloon and the raising and lower
ing Of the trail rope. 1t should be re-
membered that the balloonists will be pre-
pared with rope to send the small balloon
up two thousand feet above them, for the
purpose OF testing the currents without
wasting ballast. The windlass will also
r be used for raising or lowering the boat.
! A cage of carrier pigeons, for half daily
or even hourly communication with the
shore they are to leave, will be suspended
\ overhead.
D The scientific outfit will be of the com
u pletest kind, consisting of all the latest
t improvments, both for observation and
= for safety in managing the balloon. A
= mong those for the latter purpose is al
q electric alarm apparatus, invented 10y
n Prof. Donaldson, to be attached to bott
e the mercurial and the aneriod barometer
J, Thus, if the mercury in the former shoulC
r rise to certain hight, by an increased
h air pressure, showing descent during thu
Is night to dangerous nearness to the sur
a face Of the earth, alarm bells will ring
N and the watching acronauts will be warn
l, ed to throw out more ballast. Wet and dr..
is bulb thermometers, hydrometers, hygrom
'e eters. marine glasses, telescopes, compass
is ses, instruments for calculating the posi-
,e ton of the balloon astronomically, mathe
nj matical tables, and everything that scienc
can suggest, will be furnished ofthe mos
lie approved style and manufacture. TIL
in occupants of the car will be supplied wit
al air mattresses, camp stools, a small wri
ly ting table, lime stove for making cofie
ly and boiling eggs, and such toilet article
It's as they may desire.-Daily Graphic.
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