Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1873-08-12
AERIAL NAVIGATION.
Professor Wise at the Liberal
Club,

Professor Wise spoke to good au-
dience at the Liberal Club last night
upon aerial Navigation" His first
remark was. 81 do not propose to de-
liver lecture. I do propose to say
something about balloons" His first
idea of his present project arose from
his seeing that all objects floating high
in the air have a tendency usually to
go east. In 1885 he assembled 5000
feet from Philadelphia. and had a
confirmation of the idea of the east
ward current. All are doubtless as
tronomers enough to know that the
solar system moves from west to east.
We had a few atmospheric philoso-
piers until Espy's time. If it were
not for the eastward motion of the air
there would be no calculating weather
probabilities. knowledge of few
rules would enable any one to predict
the weather almost as accurately as the
Signal Service. BalloOning will not be
understood until it is known that it is
Just the opposite of gravitation, that is
levitation. An instrument specifical-
Iy lighter than the air plays the part
the bladder does in the fslf. When
fish wishes to sink he contracts his
air bladder, and vice versa. Some
fishes even take on gravel ballast tenn
porarily. One hundred and thirtyOne
tons can be lifted by balloon 300
feet in diameter. A balloon of
sheet-copper can be made that would
still have an immense lifting power
and permanently retaint the gas
Metal balloons can be make like tele-
scopc gas-holders. Crossing the At
lantic is not the most important part
of the proposed excursion. The DEM
onstration of the easterly current and
other aerial facts are worthy objects.
1t is very important to study the at
mosphere; we live more upon it than
food and drink. Some learned criti-
cisms have been put forth about the
trip. The speaker was as sure of be-
ing able to cross to Europe with a
good balloon as he is he can cross it in
a steamer. During August and Sep
tember the same climatic conditions
obtain in the latitude of New York
that obtain in the Tropics, and the
balloon must therefore go very high
and exhaust much power. If they
sail low they will go nearly north.
He and Donaldson have said "If we
can't 90 to Europe we will go to the
pole and hunt the Polaris." The first
Napoleon established a school of ero-
nautics and made them serviceahle in
war; but their great use must be in
peace. Little is known yet about cleo
tricity, ozone. spread of epidemics.-
BalloOning will help to unravel these
mysteries If they do not get 1000
miles to sea or never come back, sci
ence will te somewhat aided by
the trip. 1t is often asked what are
the plans of the voyage? In general,
they expect to go up and TO land be-
tweer st. Petersburg and Africa. If
the Signal Service will help, they can
90 across in sixty hours ahead of a
cyclone. 1t was in that way that he
was carried from St. Louis to New
York. He crossed the lakes in tor
nado that destroyed sixteen vessels on
those waters. In that voyage. the day
being hot, phosphorescent ligh hung
around the balloon at night, which
enabled them to read their instru-
ments. Large balloons are more
agreeable than small ones. Crossing
Lake Ontario the kept an average dis
lance of 800 feet from the water. Men
will vet exceed the birds in aerial nav
igation. 1t is singular that none of
the passengers he carried complained
of dizziness. This sort of travelling
seems to come natural. 1t is difficult
when above the clouds to know, from
mere surrounding appearanc es, wheth-
er YOU are moving. Though going a
mile minute, you hang seemingly
motionless amid air and clouds. The
Professor told an amusing story i'll
proof of this. He sailed from Allen
town, Pa, where band was playing
a national air. Hearing the same
tune as he came down he supposed be
was still over Allentown. He bad
landed in Berks County, forty miles
away among a picnic party whose
band was playing the same tune
When the Professor began ballooning
there were no gas-works in this coun-
try that would fill a balloon that
would carry up one man, unless sever
al days notice was given. In his last
ascension from Gettysburg he rose
three miles, and got in warm easter
ly current. The air was so warm that
he took off his coat. This had not
happened to him before. He attriL u
ted the warmth TO fog,