Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1873-08-22
The Balloon Life.BOat.

The Balloon Life.BOat.
The life-boat which is to be suspended
from the Daily Graphic balloon on its
voyage across the Atlantic, and upon
which Professor Wise and his party will
depend for safety should any mishap over
now in rapid course of construction at the
soil, on South street in this CITY,
The boat is twenty-five feet and six
inches long. Her breadth of beam is five
feet ten inches, and she is two feet six
inches deep. The keel is of the best Ohio
white oak, and the timbers and slaves of
the same material The "skin," or body,
is constructed of American white cedar,
chosen on account of its extreme light
ness, combined with great strength. All
the wood employed is Of the very best
quality, and has been selected with such
care that not the slightest flaw can be dis
covered in any of the strips. The boat is
"clinker built" each streak of planking
Overlaps the other and all are fastened
with copper nails, riveted on each side.
No less than eight thousand rivets have
been used, and two men have been con-
stantly employed for days past in "head-
ing" them. A most difficult task, and one
in which great care is indispensable. In
the bottom Of the boat a patent center
board is to be placed 1t is constructed
of Georgia yellow pine bound with gal
vanized sheet iron, and working automat
ically. Air cylinders of thin galvanized
iron are fitted up in the bow, stern, and
sides, and, in connection with the Inger-
soil valves, are so arranged that the boat
will not only fright" but will free her
self of water in thirty seconds, even were
she full to the gunwale. This desirable
result is arrived at by a process patented
by Mr.. Ingersoll, and may well be termed
the perfection of life-b boat building.
The balloon boat is built after the mod
ell of the famous Red, White and Blue,
which crossed the Atlantic in 1866. She
has greater "shear," however, her lines
are more graceful, and her general appear
ance more in accordance with the am
phibious role she may be called upon to
perform. Fore and aft she is to be decked
over with light planking-the entrance to
the diminutive cabin being through a
small companion-way aft. Forward, in
the bows, a lookout house is to be placed.
This will be provided with sliding "peep-
Is
expected that it can be so arranged as to
stand erect in it. At each end of the little
vessel ring bolts will be placed as in ordi-
nary life-boats. In addition to these, she
is to be furnished with two eye-bolts, con-
structed of R-inch iron These run
from the bow and stern. They are to be
secured with great care and riveted on the
under side. By these eye-bolts the boat is
to be suspended from the balloon. Elk
tending around the entire boat and above
the decking, slight but strong bulwark
is to be placed. 1t will be three inches
high, of black walnut, and so arranged as
to prevent those on deck from sliding off
when the boat mounts a sea- At the stern
posts and in the bows-indeed, at every
part which is particularly exposed-great
care is being taken to exclude the posi-
bility Of leak; many of the seams are
to be filled in with fine cotton, and no
pains are being spared to make everything
as slight and snug" as the most eXacting
seaman could desire To the water-line
the boat will be painted a fine light green.
The body will be bright gloss white, and
under the gunw&le, extending all round
The bulwarks are to retain their natural
walnut color, but will be highly polished
and vanished. Inside, the prevailing
color will be dull white; the deck will
be painted asoft delicate yellow.
The boats rig has been the subject of
much earnest thought on the part of her
builders. AT length, however, it has been
decided to adopt the schooner model, and
she is to be rugged after that pattern. The
jib will be six feet long on the "heel" or
lower part. Each mast will have hoist
of eleven feet six inches, and will be
eight feet six inches on the heel. They
are to be sixteen feet eight inches long,
well and gracefully proportional. The
two spirits will be fifteen and half feet
long One boom will be placed on the
and will have length of nine
and a half feet. The foresail is to be
lug-rigged, and will trim eighteen inches
aft of the mainmast. The sails are being
made of fine cotton duck, they are double
bighted or scanned, and every effort is
made to render them at once light and
durable. All the masts, spars and sails of
the Liliputian bark are detached, and will
be stored away in the hold to await an
The steering apparatus will be most
The rudder is of oak, iron
bound, and, in addition to this, a steering
oar is to be added for use in heavy wealth
En- The boat will also carry a full sup
ply of canned provisions, and from SIX to
eight ten-gallon kegs of fresh water. She
will be furnished with charts, compasses
and other instruments of navigation, and
also with one of the patent umbrella drags
which has been found so efficient in keep
ing ships head to the wind, and which is
now in use on many ofthe steamship lines.
The boat will be fitted out with every APP
pliance for rowing as we'll as sailing.
Three. rowlocks of plated silver are. to be
placed on each side, and six oars of well
seasoned ash, each fourteen feet
long, will be slowed in the hold
ALI the minor details are at
tended to with as much care as
those Of greater Importance, Brass Delay.