The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-09-11
6aIloonarIa.

The preparations tor the TRANSIT
lahtic balloon voyage are now tar ad-
vanccd, aud our entcrprising cotem.
porary, the Daily Grphic, tells us that
an extra force OF hands working d y
and night, will hasten them to com.
pletion. 1t is believed that the great
fabric will be ready for filling by the
3Oth OF August, when it will start on
the journey as soon as fully inflated.
BESIDES the large boat suspended un.
der the car, a smaller canoe viii! be
carried, TO serve as lite boat. This
latter craft is fourteen teet long by
twenty eight inches broad, and is
made oi paper three.eighths OF an
inch thick. 1t is fine piece OF work,
manshlp, and is constructed with air
chambers so as to be practically un.
silikable. In event of the leakage
from the balloon causing o decent
and rendering it necessary to take to
the water, Mr.. Donaldson swill at
tempt to reach land in the smaller
vessel, while the res, Of the party
will navigate the larger boat. The
above mentioned gentleman recently
rallied the canoe on a trial trip be-
tween this CITY and Long Branch,
o -t~r-sv---.,a ~..,uintr i.
perfect safety. although the sea was
quite turbulent.
The capabilities Of the carrier pig.
cons are beng thoroughly tested, and
some 81 the birds have shown . won.
dertul speed. The ARIEL, a pigeon
that won the $4,000 prize in the III
ternational contest III Belgium III
1871, accomplished the distance be
tween New York and Stratiord,
Conn, sixty iour miles, in thirty min.
utes. Another bird, known rs No.
8, male the journey IN almost as
quick time. The pigeons are OF
the finest Belgian sock, and some
two and a halt years ago were i'm.
ported by Mr.. O. 5. llubbell. 1t is
related that the hosk, some two doz
EN- birds in all, were imported in two
detachments, and OH theft arrival
We're carefully confined Tor long
time IN their cotes. Alter they had
been thus meMed up, sufficiently
long, as it was supposed, tor them to
forget all about them transatlantic
home, the doors of the cages swere
opened but to the dismay Of their
owner, who lad invested upwards Of
thousand dollars in them, every
pigeon flew promptly away. ln
about tour days, however, all return
el apparently very much exhausted
aud ravenously hungry, since which
time none have ever attempted to
leave their present abode. II is con-
iectured that the birds, on being re.
leased, made tor tho Atlantic coast
and flew along its whole length, seek
Ing to recognize some features Of
Belgian birthplace. They have since
multiplied very rapidly, aud At the
present time number about one thou
sand.
A number OF these pigeons will be
carried in the car OF the balloon, and
released al intervals with dispatches
which they will carry, it is believed,
directly TO their cote at Rlvercliff.
As it is thrown from the balloon,
each bird will probably fly wild un
til it sights land, to which it will I'm.
mediately direct its course. The
carrier pigeon has no peculiar in
s,,nct which directs him homeward
but seems to possess memory tor
places, coupled with very strong
attachment tor it's abode. In its var.
| ious excursions near the latter, il
becomes acquainted with objects
say Tor radius OF seventy miles, @
that, it once it sights any part OF The
circle, it eau easily find its way home
Gu being let 60. il fra, flies upwart
and perhaps looks over circumtsr
ence sufficiently large to include
portion Of tho circlo above refcrrst