The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-07-11
E THE GRAPHIC - BALLoN.
Description of the Monster AlE.ShiP
Now CoRSEuCttugi for Professor

Wise. Ua 5.l4 .t.i
In answer TO numerous inquiries on the
subject, give the following details a
tUthe dimenlions, material, outfit, etc, o.
the balloon 10 be used in the great Trans
atlantic voyage. They are from specihca
tons made by Mr.. Donaldson:
There will be two balloons, the largest
Of which will be 3lS feet in circumference
100 feet In diameter, and 10 feet in height
When inflated and ready 10 start, the ex'
IRENE height Of the apparatus, from the
crown Of the balloon 10 the keel OF the
life boat, will be 100 feet.
The great balloon will require 4,3lC
yards OF cloth. The material is unblesch'
ed sheeting-ot a thick, close quality o.
the brand known as Indian Orchard,
purchased from Edridge, Durham Il Co.
$40 Broadway. The crown OF the bal
leon will be doubled for distance OF fifty
feet from the top, with 100 yards OF the
same material, and third thickness will
be added OF " Manchester Mill" bleach
ed, Of which 250 yards are required.
There will be 14O90 yards, or eight
miles Of sewing, in which 10,1S7 600
stitches will be made. The stitching 10
now being performed at the show.roOms
oil the Domestic Sewing Machine Com
pany corner Broadway and Fourteenth
street, by q force Of twelve seamstresses
The thread used is silk and cotton, the
top spool being silk.
/. The valve OF the balloon will be three
feet in diameter, and made Of Spanish
cedar, with rubber-coated clapper clos
ing on brass plate. The valve fixtures
and top Of the balloon are the essential
parts Of the apparatus, and are being con-
structed with special care to guard against
any accident Of arrangement.
1.-THE network will be composed Of three.
strand Jared rope, known as "mRrlin."
The width Of the net will be 212!meshes,
and It's breaking strength will be IS, 800
pounds. Five hundred pounds Of mar.
lin" will be used. From the netting So
ropes, / inch in diameter, Of Manila, will
connect with the concentrating rings.
These ropes will each be 90 feet In length,
or 4,770 ieet in the aggregate. The con.
Centrating rings will be three in number,
10 guard against breakage, and will be
each. fourteen inches in diameter, each
ing beng OF wood, iron bound. These
rings will sustain the car, life.boat, and
trailing rope, and will, bear the strain
when the anchor Is thrown out in landing.
From the concentrating rings twenty.
four Manila 1.inch ropes, each % Ieet
long, or requiring 529 feet in all, will de.
pend from 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 network,
and over the network at the bottom Of
the car a light pine floor will be laid
loosely, so that It can be thrown out
il required. The car will be covered with
duck, of which fifty yards will be needed.
Attached TO the side Of the car will be a
light iron windlaSs, from which the boat
and trail rope can be raised and lowered
as may be desired. From pulley attach.
cd 10 the concentrating rings a heavy
Manila rope .Yill fall down through the
car, and thence TO- sling, attached to
which will be the liie,boat. This boat
will be Of the most approved and care
full construction. 1t will have water.tight
compartments, sliding keel, and will be
so made that It will be selErightiDg. The
boat will be provided with Q complete
outfit Of oars and sails, and to It will be
lashed instruments, guns lines, &C., and
provisions for thirty days, all in water.
light cases.
The trial rope, by which the aeronaut
can maintain any desired altitude without
resorting 10 ballast, will be of Manila
rope, Il irch thick, and / 900 feet long.
The car will be fully provided with in.
struments, provisions, &c, independently
Of the boat. 1t will be so constructed
that it can be taken apart piecemeal and
disposed Of as ballast. 1t will carry about
) 900 pounds Of ballast which will consist
of bags of sand, each carefully weighed
md marked. Among the instruments in
he car will be galvanic battery, with
an alarm, two barOmeters, two chronOm.
eter watches, a compound thermometer,
3 wet and dry bulb thermometer, q by.
promoter. compener, quadrant, chart,
with fire.balls attached, and
20 arranged as to explode when striking
the water, so as TO indicate the direction
marine glasses, two vacuum
tubes, o lime stove, sc. A number Of
carrier pigeons will be taken along, and
dispatched at intervals on the route with
intelligence OF the progress OF the expedi'
ton.
The smaller balloon will be 40 feet in
height land "a feet in, diameter, and will
be made from 40S yards Of 'Manch hester
Mills" It's network will consume 20
pounds Of 40 thread cotton cord and 6
pounds Of Italian hemp. 1t will be at
tsched 10 the concentrating wings Of the
large balloon, and will be used as may be
to test the upper currents or as.
sit in feeding the large balloon.
The balloons will be coated with var
nish made oil boiled linseed oil, beeswaX,
and benzine, and Of these Ingredients 1900
gallons will be used.
The capacity of the great balloon will
be GOO, 900 cubic feet Of gas, but it will be
inflated with but 100000 cubic feet,
which, at the height Of one mile and three.
quarters, will expand sufficiently to fill
tho balloon. The lifting power OF illumi.
mating gas is about IS pounds to the 200
feet, 20 that the balloon will have q lifting
or II 600 pounds. The pressure
will be / ! pounds 70 the square inch,
The weight may be summed up as fol.
lows: 7-.'i-7. u ..- - ~
Pounds.
IAiFoon .s.'''''''..'' .'.'.''.fUg9
Net and ropes. .,........................ 800
6oat .,........... ..'.ss.......,......l,
ut1y rope, s..,s w