Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1873-07-30
The Graphic" Balloon.

OF the balloon TO De uSeu III tue Srcd
Transatlantic voyage. They are FROM
specifications made by Mr.Donoldson
There will be two balloons the largest
of which will be SIS feet in circumference,
100 feet in diameter and ITO feet in
height. When inflated and ready to
start the extreme height of the apparatus
from the crown of the balloon to the
keel of the life boat, will be $50 feet.
The great balloon will require 4,3lG
yards of cloth. The material is I'M
bleached sheeting-of a thick, close
quality. The crown Of the balloon will
be double for a distance of fifty feet
from the top. with $50 wards of the same
material, and third thickness will be
added, bleacled, of which $50 yards are
required.
There will be l4.0S0 yards, or eight
miles of sewing, in which 10, 1877, GOO
stitches will be made. The stitching is
now being performed by twelve seam
stresses. The thread used is silk and
cotton, the top spool being silk.
The valve of the balloon will be feet
in diameter, and made of Spanish cedar,
with rubber coated clapper closing on
brass plate The valve fixtures and
top of the balloon are the essential parts
of the apparatus, and are being coustruc-
ed with special care to guard against
any accident or arrangement.
The network will be composed of
three strand tarred rope. known as "mar-
lin The width of the net will be 2l2
meshes, and its breaking strength will be
IS, 800 pounds. Five hundred pounds
of marlin will be used. From the net
ting So ropes, ( inches in diameter, of
Manila, will connect with the conceu-
trating rings. These ropes will each be
80 feet in length. The concentrating &
rings will be three in number, to guard
against breakage, and will be each ii
inches in diameter, each ring being of
wood iron bound. These rings will sus-
tain the car, life boat trailing rope, and
will bear the strain when the anchor is
thrown out in landing The concentra-
ting rings twenty.four Manila 1-inch
ropes, each SO feet long, will depend
and form the frames for an octagonal
shaped car They will be kept in place
by light hoops, made of ash. The lower
ropes will be Connected with net work
and over the network at the bottom of
the car light pine floor will be laid
loosly, so that it can be throyn out if
required The car will be covered with
duck, Of which fifty yards will be need
ed. Attached to the side of the car
will be light iron windlass, from which
the boat and trail rope can be raised and
lowered as desired. From a pully at
tached to the concentrating rings a
heavy Manila rope will fall down
through the car, thence to sling, at
tached to which will be the life boat.
This boat will be-oi the most approved
and careful construction. 1t will have
water tight compartments, sliding keel,
and will be so made that it will be self
righting. The boat viii be provided
with a complete outfit of oars and Gales,
and to it will be lashed instruments,
guns, lines, e., and provisions for thirty
days, all in water tight cases.
The trial rope, by which the Eronaut
can maintain any desired altitude with
out resorting to ballast, will be of Man
lila rope, ! inch thick, and 1000 feet
long.
carrier pigeons will be taken along, and
despatched at intervals on the route with
intelligence of the progress of the expe-
dition.
The smaller balloon will be 40 feet in
height and 81 feet in diameter, and will
be made from 4OS yards of Manchester
Mills" Its network will consume 20
pounds of 40 thread cotton cord and 6
pounds of Italian hemp 1t will be at.
tached to the concentrating wings of the
large balloon, and will be used as may
be required to test the upper currents or
assist in feeding the large balloon.
The balloons will be coated with
varnish made of boiled linseed oil, bees
wax, and benzine, and of these ingredi-
ents 1000 gallons will be used.
The car will be fully provided with
provisions,& Independently
of the boat. 1t will be SO constructed
that it can be taken apart piecemeal aud
of as ballast. 1t will carry
about 5000 pounds of ballast, which
will consist of bags of sand, each care
fully weighed and marked Among
the instruments to be carried in the car
there will be a galvanic battery, with
an alarm, two baromoters, two chronom-
eter watches, compound thermometer,
a wet and dry bulb thermometer, a hy-
groneter, componer, quadrant, chart,
parachutes with fire balls attached, and
so arranged as to explode when striking
the water, so as to indicate the direction
traversed marine glasses. two vacuum
tubes, lime stove. &c A number of
The capacity of the great balloon will
be 600,00O cubic feet of gas, but it will
be inflated with but 100000 cubict feet,
"a hich of tho La;cbf oe ona milo o,d