Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-09-01
OUR BALLOON EXPEDITION.

appointed TOR Pr0fesSor wise s expert
ment, it is evident that the trial is act
ually to be made, and that there will be
"no postponement on account of the
weather. Preparations are being made /
on an extensive and elaborate scale, and
a few ra0re days must decide the ques-
ton of the expediency or folly of the
hazardous undertaking, and determine
whether its projectors shall be called
brave discoveries or fool hardy adven-
turers. They have committed them
selves to dangerous and doubtful prom
Use, and may be compelled to abide fa-
tai consequences. Leaving out entirely
the main and avowed object of the expe-
dition-the feasibility of air navigation
-Messrs. Wise and company will not
have offered themselves as sacrifice in
vain. There is something to be added
to science in the study of the habits and
the variations of the winds, and the
record Of this journey should be the most |
valuable single addition ever made to
human knowledge on that subject. Men
have died for much smaller benefits to
science. They who venture in The Dali
LY GRAPHIC balloon will not hazard so
much as did prudent Ben Franklin when
he offered himself to the fury of the
lightning. He risked an unknown per-
il, while they know their danger and are
equipped against it by every possible
precaution. Moreover, Professor Wise
is an experienced aeronaut, and will not
be likely to undergo harm by misman-
agement of the balloon. The most prob
able of the threatening evils is that the
vehicle may be blown out Of its course
and drop far out in the ocean. Against
this contingency ample provision has
been made by the stout life boat, so that
if the adventures have to descend they
may easily find their way to some coast.
The chance that would leave them abso-
lutely hopeless is the bursting of their
balloon. That may happen, and against
such possibility there should be some
plan observed SO that, though the men
may lose their lives, science may not also
lose the fruit of their labors. Their
most valuable records will of course be
the observation of the courses of the up
per air currents. Columbus was the
prototype of Wise in this field, having
first observed the set lines of the trade
winds. Upon the basis of this discov-
cry, Calico and long line of later the
orists proved the existence of order in
the course of the winds, which had be-
fore been supposed to elbow whittier
they listed" The continual interchange
> of currents between the poles and the
equator was added to the little stock Of
: knowledge, and mariners learned to tell
almost to a certainty the force and di-
y rection of the current of air likely to be
| encountered in certain latitudes. Nc
: one would question the soundness Of
Wise's experiments if New York and
bonttvrr- o~~-~rr--..-----.------- 6 \, -
trade currents. Such trip by balloon
. would be certain of success, simply be-
: cause the force and invariability of tina
wind are known facts But there arr
i facts almost equally important to b.
L settled in regard to the upper strata o
u the atmosphere. The cold air that tn
le poles send to the furnaces of the equa
~ tor must find their way back again, an,
/ being heated and specifically lighte
Il than when they came, they will take
y higher course on their back trip. More
III over, on their back trip they must fol
y low some set courses, and they may al
V ford an invariable path which shall car
Is ry the aeronauts across the ocean. /
u not, Wise can bring back word by boa
III that that current is not available, an
io one great point will be settled. Blu
e. even then the current which cannot b
ie depended upon. by reason of local dis
IL turbing influences, to carry passenger
: between New York and England, ma
= have steadier companions to the mort
- or south The line which failed at Ne,
:, York might have parallel at New Oh
leans that could be trusted to do the cal
r. rying duty which the unsteadier north
ern current refused. Since the exper
" ment is being made, we trust Professe
y Wise may he spared to make it thorough
ly, and that if the current exists any
90 where he may be rewarded by finding
:. out. But by all means let the result
- this trip be thoroughly recorded. M
: SO recorded either that the bursting
the balloon and the sudden death of e,
: cry inmate would cause the loss of the
- observations. Duplicate or triplica
g copies might be dropped into the sea !
:. specially prepared bottles at short il
:. tervals; pigeons might beintrusted wit
the precious messages; by some meal
- the doings of that strange journey shoul
= =, be insured to the world of stay home
- who can only wish the -aeronauts go
- speed, and hope for their success and
!, safe return.-Nea0ark Daily Advertise
~ Brigham Young is too shrewd me-
III to make territory and create churc
l'n and to leave somebody else to make II