Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1873-07-31
1.-THE GRAPHIC, BALLOON.
Description of the Monster Air Ship
Constructing for Prof. Wise.
[From the New York Graphic-l

From the New York Graphic.l
In answer to numerous inquiries on
the subject, we give the following de
tails as to tn e dimentions, materials,
outfit, &c, of the balloon to be used
in the great tTansatlantic voyage. They
are from specifications made by Mr.
Donaldson, who is to accompany Mr.,
Wise on the voyage:
There will be two balloons, the larg-
est of hich will be 31S feet in circum-
ference, 100 feet in diameter, and ITO
feet in height. When inflated and ready
| to start, the extreme height of the ap-
paratus, from the crown of the balloon
to the keel of the life boat, will be 16o
feet.
The great balloon will require 4,316
yards of cloth. The material is uR-
blcached sheeting-of thick, close
quality, of the brand known as "In-
dian Orchard" The crown OF the bal
loon will be doubled for distance of
fifty feet from the top, with $50 yards
of the same material, and third thick
ness will be added of ''Manchastcr
Mills" bleached, of which $50 yards
are required.
| uSIC VIII UC HdIuS VI
miles of sewing, in which 10,137, 900
stitches will be made. Stitching is
now being performed at the show
rooms of the Domestic Sewing Ma
chine Company, by a force of twelve
seamstresses. The thread used is silk
and cotton, the top spool being silk.
The valve of the balloon will be
three feet in diameter, and made of
Spanish cedar with a rubber coated
clapper closing on brass plate. The
valve fixtures and top of the balloon
are the essential parts Of the appaTa-
tus, and are being con structed with
especial care, to guard against any ac
cideut of arrangement.
The network will be composed of
three strand tarred rope, known as
marlin The width will be 21I
meshes, and its breaking strength will
be $500 pounds. Five hundred
pounds of 'smarlin'' will be used
From the netting fifty three ropes, five
eights inch in diameter, of Manila,
will connect with the concentrating
rings. These ropes will each be nine
ty feet in length, or 4,770 feet in the
aggregate. The concentrating rings
will be three in number, to guard
against breakage, and will be each
fourteen inches in diameter, each ring
being wood, iron bound. These rings
will sustain the car, life boat, and
trailing rope, and will bear the strain
when the anchor is thrown out in
landing. From the concentrating
l rings twenty four Manila one inch
ropes, each % feet long, or requiring
528 feet in all, will depend and form
the frame for an octagouai shaped ear.
They will be kept in place by light
t hoops, made, of ash. The lower ropes
/ will be connected with network, and
, over the network, at the bottom of the
. car, light pine floor will be laid
e loosely, so that it can be thrown out
, if required. The car will be covered
e with duck, Of which fifty yards will be
2 needed. Attached to side of the cal
l will be light iron MINDLESS, from
= which the boat and trail rope can be
raised and lowered as may be desired
From pulley attached to the concen-
j, srating rings heavy Manila rope will
S fall through the car, and thence to 6
sling, attached to which will be the
, life boat. This boat will be of the
e most approved and careful construc-
tion 1t will have water tight copart-
ments, sliding kneel, and will be self
righting. The boat will be provided
! with complete outfit of oars and
> sells, to it will be lashed instruments,
, guns, lines, ETC., and provisions for
e thirty days, all cases.
+ The tail rope, by which the aeronaut
,lo oil
e out resorting to ballast, will be Ma
S nilla rope, II inch thick, and 1000
5 feet long.
r The car will be provided with instru
i ments, provisions, &c, independently
+ of the boat 1t will be so constructed
! that it can be taken apart piecemea
d and disposed of as ballast. twill car
e ~ above five thousand pounds of bal
u last, which will consist of bags o.
n sand, each carefully weighed anC
e marked. Among the instruments tc
r be carried in the car there will be
e gaIvanic battery with an alarm, two
u marometers, two chronometer watch
e es, compound thermometer, a we
IS and dry bulb thermometer, hydrom
is eter, componer, quadrant. chart, par
If achutes, with fire balls attached, anC
ii so arranged as to explode when strik
y ING the water, so as to indicate the di
rection traYcrscd marine glasses, two
vacuum tubes, lime stove, DC. A
= number of carrier pigeons will be tax
- en- along, and dispatched at intervals
+, on the route with intelligence of th
e. progress of the expedition. a
is The smaller balloon will be 40 fee
IS in height and "a feet in diameter
e. and will be made from 4O8 yards O
o, "Manchester Mill" Its network wi
5. consume 90 pounds 40 thread cotto
re cord, and pounds of italian hemp
r 1t will be ATTACHED to the cOncentrat
r, ing rings of the large balloon, and wi
at be used as may be required to test tn
at upper currents1or assist in feeding tn
re large balloon. - .
ell The balloon will be coated with
I'd varnlsh made of boiled linseed OF
he beeswax, and benzine, and of thes
II ingredients, 1000 gallons will l
used. .-.s.-f
The capacity Of the great halloo
he will be 100000, cubic feet Of gas, b,
m it will be inflated with but 100000 G.
so bic feet, which, at the height of on
sh mile and three quarters, will eXpar
M sufficient to fill the balloon The lit
ing power of illuminating gas is abol
80 pounds to 20 the 1000 feet, so tn
ed the balloon will have lifting capaci'
se' of IL, G0Olbs. The pressure viii
lth ! ID to the square inch.
'he The weight may be summed up
M, follows:
FoUNI