The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1873-08-22

upper floor. About ten feet above this
floor will be placed the third distended
hoop, six feet in diameter, above which
the main ropes will taper directly in the
ring.
From the apex TO the main floor the
car will be covered with duck, the lower
part Of which will be cut and arranged
to be rolled up in separate pieces, like
curtains. There will be four windows
cut in the canvass siding. to look from
in case Il will be necessary to fasten the
curtains down. There will also be an
opening through the top, out of which
a person may climb on a rope ladder into
the ropes above. A man-hole will also
be cut in the floor to allow access to the
cellar" where the ballast, etc., is stored.
From ring TO lower floor the car will be
about sixteen feet. The ring will be a
huge affair, consisting of three different
pieces Of metal, and designed to stand
all tests, either Of tension or jar. As an
appropriate ornament, flags Of various
nations will be displayed from the upper
part Of the car.
Still more interesting, perhaps, than a
description of the car, is a list of the
things to be placed in it. The most
prominent object in the lower apartment
represented in the sketch, is a basket ca
pable of holding a number Of men, and
designed to be attached to the ring above,
should it be found necessary to cut the
large car away piecemeal, to tighten the
air-ship, or in case it should be thought
desirable, through distrust of the large
balloon from injury, it may be attached
to the smaller balloon, the tender, and
the party thus be given a new lease Of
life. 1t will also enable them toseparate,
leaving a portion only TO continue the
voyage, the main balloon being thus re-
lieved of portion of its fixed weight.
In this apartment also will be placed the
ballast, consisting Of sand in twenty-five
pound bags, and in great part also il
casks Of water.
The water ballasts will be especially
valuable, because a small stream may bt
set flowing at night, hanged to compeu
sate the loss Of buoyant power of tn,
balloon. Here, too, will be placed il
abundance various kinds Of provisions
consisting largely of canned food. Axes
hatehets, graphing irons, rope in coils
and other accessory things will be slowed
away. Torpedoes, with parachute at
tachmepts, will also be provided, to b
let fall in the night. These will be SCI
so as 10 explode when they strike tht
water. The direction of the flash vii
indicate the way the balloon is drifting
As to the furniture of the upper depart
ment, the main feature is the windlass
which may be put to several uses, tn,
principal of which will be- the manage
ment of the small balloon and the rails
ing and lowering of the trail rope. Il
should be remembered that the balloon
lists will lie prepared with rope to send
the small balloon up two thousand feet
above them, for the purpose of testing
currents without wasting ballast. Tn,
windlass will also be used for raising OF
lowering the boat. A cage of carrier
pigeons, for half-daily or even hourly
communication with the shore they ar,
to leave, will be suspended overhead.
The scientific outfit will be OF the com
pletest kind, consisting of all the latest
improvements in meteorological instru
ments, both for observation and for safety
in managing the balloon. Among those
for the latter purpose is an electric alarm
apparatus. invented by Professor Donald
son, to be attached to both the mercurial
and the aneroid barometer. Thus, if the
mercury in the former should rise to O
certain height, by an increased air pres.
sure, showing descent during the night
TO dangerous nearness to the surface OF
the earth, alarm bells will ring, and the
watching aeronauts will be warned 10
throw out more ballast. Wet and dry
bulb Thermometers, hydrometers, hygro-
meters, marine glasses, telescopes, com
passes, instruments for calculating the
position Of the balloon astronomically,
mathematical tables, and everything that
science can suggest, will be furnished Of
the most approved styles and manufac-
ture. The occupants of the car will be
supplied with air mattresses, camp-stools,
small writing-table, lime-stove for
making coffee and boiling eggs, and such
necessary toilet furniture as they may
desire.
From an article in To-Day, written by
Prof. Wise, under the caption, ITO Eu-
rope ina Balloon" We take the following;
y \ 4 4
We claim for ii natures highway, laid
out to US in the trade-wind currents run
ming from west to east, and in our tenn
perate zone from the northwest and the
southwest. There is good authority as
well as our experience of this fact The
Smithsonian Institute says, in its reports
of 1865, and in letter directed to me,
''rhe existence Of these currents is an
established tact Of science, confirmed by
every days experience" And in the
same letter to me it says. "We take great
interest in the success ofyour transatlan-
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