, 1873-06-15


Prof. Wise, the Philadelph1a aeronaut, ha.
made i proposition to crues the Atlantic Ooe11
in balloon, in company with ". H. Donaldson
another experienced aeronaut The announce
ment has caused considerable excitement in th,
scientific world, and also among other high
flyers, some of whom attack the proposition
with moro or less Of ridicule. In . com
munication to tho Boston GLOBE, Prot
Wise bases his proposition upon the fol
lowing facts: That the upper current
! Of the atmosphere In the temperate zone movee
from vest to east, caused by the mingling Of the
| southwest and the northwest winds in their CUT
rents, in accordance with the laws Of temperar
ture and the axial motion OF tho earth These
two currents slide over each other, and balloon
can be trained to either one Of them OF, it may
be trained to the eddy currents between the up
| per and lower ones, and go east In support
of his theory, Prof. Wise brings for
ward Prof. Henry, Of the Smithsonian
Institute, who says that the existence Of these
currents an established fact Of science Of every
days experience, and thinks that the success OF
the proposition to croes the ooean ia by no
means improbable, although hs does not express
any deaire to accompany Prof. Wise On his trip,
notwithstanding the discoveries he might mako
in his favorite study Of meteorology- Prof.
Wise also points out the fact that out Of the first
hundred ascenaions he made, the balloon landed
him east Of the point Of departure ninety four
timea, the other SIX flights being made Bithin IN
altitude Of 5000 feet and in drifts in the local
currents. He also claims that in 1859 he made a
voyage from st. Louis to Jefferson County, N.
T., a distance Of over 200 miles from west to
east, and that he has sailed from west to east by
appointment-once from Carlisle to Lancaster,
Penn, and onco from Auburn to Syracuse n. l.,
and in both cases met his engagements
and reascended; and closes his communication
with the statement that, few years ago, he and
his son made . Fourth Of July ascension from
Boston Common. rising with the eastward cur
rent, going ont to sea eight to twelve miles,
dropping down again into the sea-breeze, and by
It returning to land again.
The above ia the substance Of Prof. Wises
statement, and even the most skoptical will
admit that it has an air Of probability about it.
But, admitting its probability, and allowing that
Prof. Wise may accomplish his hazardous jour
ney in safety, and land at Liverpool after two
days voyage, while the sluggish steamers below
him occupy two weeks, Of what use will it be
What practical good will it accompliah7 What
possible good can it Bubserve in tho interest Of
commerce or travel7 4 thousand successful
trips would not persuade people to travel
by balloon 80 long as they could travel by rail-
road or steamboat The ratio Of accidents to
balloons, even in comparison with those to rail
roads and steamboats,, has been faarfu1ly large,
and in almost every case the fate Of the aeronaut
has been the fate which bafeu Icarns when he
attempted his famous fight across the Egean.
Even in case Of accident by rail or water, there
is still a certain feeling OF security.
The traveller by rail il ut least upon
terra frma, and therefore stands chance Of his
life. The trava1ar by water has at least somo-
thing to cling to, and stands a. chance Of being
picked up. The traveller by balloon would not
stand in much danger OF collision, for the west
current is q highway broad enough for Ill the
balloons which will bo likely to traverse it; but
accidents will happen, and then there would be no
hope for tho 1uckless wights sight or ten thou
sand feet above the water. With the impetus
Of two-mile tumble through the al, they would
go 30 far into the Atlantic that they would prob
- 1&1, asI =.
foating IN the Pacific by the Chinese Cormers.
It is pretty fancy, this trayalmgin balloon up
among the little stars, all around the moon, but
those hare brained individuals aro very scsrce
who care to go any nearer the moon than
they arc 1t present. Again Prof. Wise can
hardly expect to do anything in COM
meroial way BY carrying freight. Insurance COM
panies would not take the usk, and thus there is
q golden opportunity lost Of solving the trans
po1tation problem. We are disposed to regard
this inpossibility with considerable regret, for
fast freight line by balloon to Europe might ct
break up the railroad monopoly and
do away with tho political chaos" which il
fast approaching, growing out Of the
action Of tho Patrons OF Husbandry and other
ferocious followers Of Pomona and Ceres. There
is one class Of business which the Professor
might undertake-the carrying Of the mails. II
he succeeds in crossing the ocean, the matter
viii be broug ght to practical test, as In uhbe-
Ie7ing individual IN New York, who is On the
i've of dspslture for Europe, has offered Prot.
Wise, s5,ooo i he viii deliver letter to
him st ea1tain address in Paris th1es |
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