Rapides gazette. (Alexandria, La.) 1869-187?, 1873-05-17
Ocean BallOOning.

A CORRESPONDENT of the New ork
World has been interviewing DONALDSON,
the aeronaut, and thus writes:
He said he had made but one ascension
with basket. and that was his first and
his last in that manner. The very nrst
time he had witnessed balloon in mid-air
he delighted In the thought of performing
on the trapeze-bar under it. In reply to
question concerning fear he smiled and
stated he was not acquainted with 1t. III
had known what fear was" he contin-
ued, ~ should never have had sufficient
courage to perform for the first time the
drop act" He had reference to lying ex,
tended on his back on the bar, head and
feet extended, and then to drop head hrst
and catch himself by the toes, and In TINS
position, hanging head downward, sail
through the air hundreds of feet above
the earth. "For," he continued, sit must
be borne in mind that in performing the
act my weight, $50 pounds, is taken OH OF
the balloon from the time drop until 1
catch myself by my feet. Taking OF this
weight from the balloon naturally causes
it to shoot up with great velocity, and
therein is the great danger. The balloon
rises with force when no weight Is at
tached, and if care Is not practiced the
bar will shoot up and be very apt to sweep
past any distractions like mans feet,
and thus throw him from the bar and send
him tumbling headlong toward the earth.
Before l tried the experiment had no
means of ascertaining what the result
would be, but as l had no fear as to the
consequences went up and successfully
performed what no other man in the world
has yet DONE"
asked him why he was engaged in such
ia httc
told me that at first he did it in profess
sional way as matter of business, to ad-
vertise his entertainments as magician
finally he inaugurated system OF lee
lures. He would make an ascension and
afterward tell the story of his aerial jour-
ney from the stage in some hall, 10 an
audience at so much head.
Now he states he desires to aid science.
In a few DAYS he will ascend in paper
balloon, glued together, for the reason, as
he says, TO satisfactorily demonstrate to
men of science the entire safety in bal
looming in the original manner. Men OF
science" said the aeronaut, "cannot be
induced to visit cloudland, and as long as
they remain away the vast resources OF
that undiscovered country will remain
idle and useless forever" 1 found
this daring man also thinking
and careful man. He complained
at length of the unwise expenditure OF
money in examining ocean beds and the
like, when great natural highway in the
air needed immediate attention. de dis
approves of the present method of gen.
Grating steam, because the weight of ma
chinery is too great for the power re-
ceived.. Air contains all that is required
moisture from which steam can be gen.
Grated, and pure hydrogen for buoyancy
and electricity for additional power.
These natural agencies in the air can be
gathered as they are needed, thereby
averting the necessity of carrying fuel,
&C., as is at present the custom with
steamships and locomotives. He says
the visitation of practical scientists to ex-
anime and put them into use. He con-
tinued: 81 would perfect and patent q
flying-maehing, but have not the time
People are afraid of height, but, seeming.
ly, not of depth. They cross the ocean
brave water, storm, and drunken sea cap
tains, but they would shrink in holy hOr
ror at the Thought of crossing the ocean
i'm a b~laeaa ,,
This led the conversation to the subject
of ocean ballooning. Donaldson has his
plans, specifications, and arrangements al
finished; and by letters in his possession
10 aPPiON1o VI w l. iDAOcoOi
Henry, of the Smithsonian Institute al
Washington and other scientific men
Donaldson is positive of reaching Europe
by balloon, and as firmly believes that the
constantly blowing current of air from
west to east, at an altitude OF something
less than mile high, was specially crea
ted by Providence for aerial navigation.
The current that Donaldson speaks o.
is a continual blowing from west to cas-
when at a certain altitude, and by this hi
is confident of landing on the coast o
ireland in about two and half days
He will start. however, when the lOwel
current of air is blowing toward the cas-
and continue in it so long as it blows il
that direction. If it changes he cal
ascend to the upper current and still g
on towards the east. His plans, he thinks
are excellently arranged, he having thor
Oughly provided for every conceivable &C
cident or misfortune. In conclusion h
remarked: "Some day the people vii
assuredly hear of ocean ballOoning, anC
it will be regarded as ordinary thing a.
deep-sea telegraphing. Passengers viii
be transported back and forwards acros!
the Atlantic in one-fifth the time and a
half the cost of the present steamer fares
Mails will be transported by balloon, anC
thus ocean steamers will be only used fol
the transportation of freight and mer