Elizabeth daily monitor. [volume] (Elizabeth, N.J.) 1868-1880, 1873-09-10
e Elizabeth Daily Monitor.
THE BALLOON VOYAGE.

The bALLOuN NO1
PROF. WISE TO START TO DAY IF THE wEA-
THEIR IS FAVORABLE.
The Graphic's enormous balloon, with
the life boat, canoe, provisions and
scientific instruments, which have been
on exhibition at the Capitoline grounds,
Brooklyn, since last Saturday, were
again inspected yesterday by large num-
bers. Prof. Wise stated, in converse
ton with Tribune reporter yesterday,
that the assertion that he had at last re-
fused to accompany the expedition was
false. Until he received q promised
communication from the Weather Blu
reau at Washington regarding the con-
dition of the weather to-day, he could
not say positively that he would start at
the expected time. II the weather
would permit, however, they would cut
loose at six p. m. If a high wind pre-
walls, it will be impossible to attach the
car to the balloon, in which event, if
there are no other hindrances, the aero
nants expect to leave the car behind,
and use only the life-boat.
The balloon is made of unbleached
cotton cloth of great strength, but of
very fine texture. Forty feet from the
the valve another thickness of thin ma
terial is added, containing two hundred
and fifty yards in all four thousand
three hundred and sixteen yards. As
each section was sewn it was taken to
the Brooklyn Navy Yard, where it was
vanished. In the first coat, which con-
sisted of hard boiled linseed oil, thinn-
ed with benzine; over 300 gallons of
varnish were used. The network is
formed from marline or three strand
tarred ropes, and contains three hun
bred and eighteen meshes, and the
breaking strength of each strand is two
hundred and weight pounds, which
makes the combined breaking strength
ninty-one thousand six hundred and
eighty-four pounds. Attached to the
lower part of the network are fifty
three one quarters inch manila ropes,
each fifty feet long. The concentrating
ring is four feet in diameter, and is con-
structed of white oak with inner and
outer rims of steels.
The ropes which compose the frame
work of the car, as well as those which
support it and the converging ropes,
are attached to this ring. The car is
fifteen feet high, and nine feet and five
inches wide at its broadcast part. There
are three apartments, in the upper ore
of which the voyager can stand if it be-
comes necessary to repair any injury
which the part of the machine may sus-
tain, or to cut the car loose. The mid
die apartment is intended for the liv-
ing room Of the ;eronauts. The floor is
covered with neat Brussels carpet, and
on one side there is handsome writing
desk, on which are maps, writing ma
terial, and an elegant silver ice pitcher.
This apartment will also contain four
chairs, a breech-loading rifle, a revolt
yer, navigator's globe, and the scien-
tific instruments The lower apart
ment will contain provisions and water
sufficient to supply the wants of four
men for one hundred days, the ballast,
etc. The life-boat will be suspended
under the Car. 1t is twenty-five feet
six inches long, with breadth of beam
OF five feet and ten inches, and dep b
OF two feet and six inches. There is a
small cabin forward.
A paper canoe will be carried in the
life-boat. The balloon when inflated,
with the car and life-boat attached, will
be one hundred and sixty feet in hight.
The canvas weighs six thousand pounds;
netting, seven hundred pounds car,
two hundred and fifty pounds; boat,
seven hundred pounds instruments and
drag-rope, one Thousand pounds total,
eight thousand six hundred and fifty
pounds. Four hundred thousand cubic
feet of gas, having carrying capacity
of thirty-five pounds per thousand, give
total carrying force of fourteen thou
sand pounds. The balloon will carry
Prof. John Wise and Washington FL.
Donaldson, aeronauts, Mr.. George A..
Lunt, navigator, and correspondent of
The Daily Graphic. They will take
with them twelve carrier pigeons Heat
necessary for cooking purposes will be
obtained by means of sheet-iron box
in which lime will be slaked light will
be produced from electricity by Gels
sler's vacuum tubes. Illuminating ex-
plosive bombs, which, when dropped
into the water, burn brilliantly for five
minutes, will be taken, by means of
which the aeronauts can determine their
course by night. If the men start at
six p. NJ, they expect to land in Europe
on the second morning thereafter
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The Alabama claims have at last been