Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1873-06-14
AN AIRLINE TO EUROPE.
A Daring Attempt TO be Made to Cross
the Atlantic in a Balloon.

A novel and altogether unprecedented
feat is 10 be attempted In Boston on the
4th Of July. Professor john Wise, Of
Philadelphia, enc Of the Oldest and most
experienced aeronauts In tho world, a.
present Secretary Of the Meteorological
Branch Of the Franklin Institute In Phil,
adelphls, has long held and preached |
certain theories in regard to the strata Of |
air which encircle the ear h far above the |
region OF cloud-land, and these theories |
he proposes now to demonstrate by an |
experiment as bold "a Il Is interesting
This Is what the professor means TO do {;
On the 4lh Of July II possible, but on
some day Of that month at all events,
Professor Wise proposes to start from
Boston Common In balloon, 10 cross the
Atlantic Ocean and land IN Europe. He
will take with him Mr.. Washington II.
Donaldson, the celebrated aerouaut,
whose remarkable ascensions from the
neighborhood OF Reading have been re-
ported from time TO time In EVERY
EVENING.
Prof. Wise said recently In converse
ton with a reporter;
Z" have for years believed that the en-
tire upper atmosphere, surrounding the
earth, constantly moves eastward with
the revolutions Of the globe, More than
this; l believe that II actually moves
faster than the earth, iast IA water lie
spurted forward from rapidly revolving
grindstoue. II Ia thrown ahead by the
centrifugal force generated by the move
ment of the terrestrial ball, say at the
rate Of one hundred miles an hour. If l
rise into this vast air-tide with my bal
loon, the ship will be swept eastward
with tremendous velocity. We cannot
control the direction of the balloon In
any way, and that will not he necessary.
All that we need do is to let It drift, and,
sooner or later, If no accident happens,
we shall reach some part Of Europe"
The Professor, being asked how long
be expected TO consume 10 making the
voyage, answered:
Not more than seventy hours, aud
probably not even sixty. II will depend
on the force of the air-current This
current moves more rapidly sfter sunset,
for the heated air presses forward to-
wards the shadow, where the atmosphere
is cooler.
CAT what point do you expect to touch
the coast on the other side :"
I'VE shall probably land either in Great
Britain or France In the latter, If we
do not reach great altitude. / have
always thought, however, that there is At
air-eurreut following the course of the
Gulf Stream, for that heats the atmos.
phere to the height of eight or ten lhous-
and feet, and makes, I conjecture, sort
Of Gulf Stream in the air. If this {.
correct, and our balloon strikes that cur
rent, We shall go directly TO England
OF course, cannot say absolutely thai
We shall succeed. This voyage is merely
experimental. | wish 10 test the matter
that is all. II The trip can be made now
il will be made many times again, aud
With practice, ability may be acquired I,
reach London, Paris or Madrid, with uR
erring certainty I shall loaye BOstOl
Common, aud strike at once for an alti
tude of two miles, and stay there,
possible, until We get across"
Professor Wise does not intend to re
turn in the balloon. He THINKS such
trip might BE- possible, but it might fail
To do this he would have to drop Into IN
trade-wiuds ard local CUR, uls, hut the
ave not reliable. II only claim" h
said, "the ability to 90 with certainty l.
the eastward"
1t might be expected that the extrem
rapidity oi motion which Professor Wis
expects To attain would seriously incor
ycnience the travelled On this point III
Professor SAYS;
yoyagur is not conscious Of H. Ne seen
20 stand st. This is because their is u
object to Ia. Is progress. Tie is n
more conscious OF a speed of 100 mil,
an hour ihan you are OF the revolution
the earth as you 1T 10 your chair"
Work on tne balloon Is not vet begu
nut from an Iudia-ink sketch made
the Professor pretty clear idea may
gained OF how tue sir-ship is to be col
rueted. There will be three balloon
o-e nearly three times as large az eal
of tue other two. The object OF the "
small globes l. to act as reservoirs fro
winch the larger one may be replenishl
with gas should lis lifting power be d
creased from any cause. The ballOO
Will contain a25, 600 feet ut gas, and hn
lifting cagViiyI HOO pounds 81
Yards oi drilling will hp. rlusu nod IN 20
etrurting the large balloon; but, vi
the aid Of sewing machines. the Profess
thinks the work can ne done in mon
The basket in which the bold adv,
turers will ride is to be a comiurla
covered room, with cellar attached
hich water and food Tor the trip will
storsd. This room will contain windo
ON each side. \ lime stove will farm
the necessary heat, aud uho serve
cooking.
ANOTHER BALLOON VOYAGE ACROSS T
ATLANTIC PROPOSED.
An unknown vlicr. who, the Phil d
'lia Press says Ia neither mouuieba
uur am udycuturrr publishes letter
That new paper advocating second I
loon expedition to Europe, to start ir
Philadelphia nn the SAINT day that r.
Wise does iron 3 iston. lie proposes
lave II iu some way connected With