Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1873-07-03


ing the height, say of mile and half,
60 in AFT eastetly direction.
Reportef-Have you observed that
phenomeiion often?
Professor Wise-I have made 446
balloon ascensioiis; and, fiiHety six times
otit Of every huhdred the air ship swept
rapidly toward the cast. 1 have preached
this theory for thirty years, and
twice have I asked Congress to help
prove it with a transatlantic voyage
1 made one application to this effect in
1914, and a second ole some years la
ter, bit failed both times; although up
on tile latter occasion Stephen A. Doug
las, who believed in me, made speech
in my behalf.
QUICK TINE. --
Repotter-How long do you suppose
it will take you to cross the ocean?
Professor Wise-Not more than sew
enty hours, and probably only sixty
1t will depend upon the force Of the
air current. I MAY as well remark here
that this current moves more rapidly
after sunset; for the heated air presses
forward toward the shadow, where the
atmosphere is cooler.
Reporter-At what point do you ex-
pect to touch the co;st on the othe,
side?
Professor Wise-We shall probably
land either in Great Britain OF France
| in the latter if we do not reach a great
altitude. have always thought, how
ever, that there is an air current follow
ing the COURSE Of the gulf streatn for
that heats the atmosphere to The height
of eight OF ten thousand feet, and
makes, con lecture, Il sort of gult
stream in the air If this is correct,
and our balloon strikes that current, we
shall go directly to England. Of course
l can not say absolutely that we shall
succeed. This voyage is merely eN-
perimental. | wish to test the matter;
that is all. If the trip can be made
now it will be made many times again.
and with practice, ability may be re-
quired TO reach London, Paris. or Mad
rid with lnelriny Certainty. We are
merel y going to try whether it can really
be done or not shall leave Bos
ton Common and strike at once for an
altitude Of about two miles, and stay
up there if possible until we get across
Rcporter-Will you return i'll the bal
loon?
Professor Wise--I think not. We
might, though, by dropping into the To-
cal trade winds and surface currents.
but they are not 50 reliable. | only
claim the ability to go with certainty to
tile ClSlWafu.
\ CURIOUS FACT.
Reporter-You speak of d speed of
one hundred miles all hour. Will not
that seem alarming?
Professor Wise not at all. 1t Il bal
loon, no matter how rapid the motion.
the voyager is not tcnstiotis of it. He
seems to stand still. If there is no OBJ
ject by which to mark the progress he
is impressed with the conviction that
the balloon is at rest. He is no more
conscious of the speed Of one hundred
miles an hour than you are of the rev.
olution Of the earth as you sit i'll that
chair. Moreover; there is no tluttering
of any of the rigging of the balloon
when in equilibrium A cebweb hang
ing from the car will seem as free from
agitation as fit were suspended in Il
vacuum. We can not even tell when
we are ascending except by hanging a
ribbon over the side and observing it
fly upward as we descend and downward
as we mount into the air. You can
hardly call balloon riding ''the poetry
of notion for there appears to be no
motion. A blind man in such a ship
would be ready to be swornth that he was
in condition of perfect rest.
TIE BALLOON
Reportef-And now for descrip-
ton of the balloon in which you will
make your voyage.
Professor Wise-We propose to con-
struct three balloons, one nearly three
times the size of the others, the latter
of which will be used to supply the
large one with gas as it gradually loses
its lifting power. The balloons will
hold some 325,O00 feet of gas, and will
have a lifting capacity of 200 pounds,
besides the weight Of the gas chambers
themselves, nettings, baskets, life boat
etc. 1t will take about 300 yards OF
drilling for the large balloon, but with
the aid of sewing machines, we think
we can get it ready in months time
The basket in which we propose 10
ride will be comfortable covered room
with cellar, in which to store water
and food for the trip. The room will
have windows on all sides, lime stove
will give abundant heat for warmth and
to cook with, while at night a vacuum