The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1873-06-20

practice, ability may be acquired
to reach London, Paris or Madrid
with unerring certainty. 1 shall
leave Boston Common and strike
at once for an altitude of two miles,
and stay up there, if possible uh-
til we get across.
| Professor Wise does not intend
to return in the balloon. He thinks
such trip might be possible, but
| it might fail. To do this he would
have to drop into the trade winds
land local currents, and they are
not reliable. ~ only claim" he
said, ''the ability to go with GER
tainty to the eastward"
1t might be supposed that the
extreme rapidity of motion which
Professor Wise expects to attain
would seriously inconvenience the
traveller. On this point the Pro.
fessor says:
etNo matter how rapid the mo-
ton, the voyager is not conscious
of it. He seems to stand still.
This is because there is no object
to mark his progress. He is no
more conscious of 4 speed of one
hundred miles an hour than you
are of the revolutions of the earth
as you sit in your chair"
Work on the balloon is not yet
begun, but from an India-ink
sketch made by the Professor Il
pretty clear idea may be gained of
how the air ship is to be con-
structed. There will be three bal
looms, one nearly three times as
large as each of the other two.
The object of the two small globes
is to act as reservoirs from which |
the larger one may be replenished
with gas should its lifting power
be decreased from any cause. The
balloons will contain $4,000 feet |
of gas. and have q lifting capacity |
of 1900 pounds; 300 yards OF
drilling will be consumed in con-
st:ucting the large balloon; but
with the aid of sewing machines |
the professor thinks the work can |
be done in a month.
The basket in which the bold |
Adventures will ride is to be a
comfortable covered room, with q |
cellar attached, in which water and |
food for the trip will be stored.
This room viii contain windows
on each side. A lime stove will |
furnish the necessary heat, and |
also serve for cooking purposes.
In the night q vacuum tube, with
platinum wire at each end, will |
furnish abundant light by cur
aent of electricity along the wire.
Beneath the chamber, or kitchen
an open balcony or platform will |
be suspended. This will be sur
surrounded by a railing, and from
it scientific observations will be |
made. Hanging from this will be
a Francis metallic lifeboat, provid-
ed with oars, sails, instruments,
food and water. The boat will |
have four large air-chambers, and
protect the travellers from the
weather, should long sea voyage |
be forced upon them by any I'M
toward accident. By means of an
ingenious arrangement, the centre
of gravity can be made to remain
at all times at the bottom of the |
boat, so that all danger from up
setting is practically avoided.
Professor Wise left Philadelphia
for Boston last Saturday night.
He will remain there until all ar
rangements for this bold e~iel /
voyage are completed. He has
the utmost faith in the success of
his novel enterprise, and if his
predictions are verified, we may |
yet have an air line mail to Eu-
rope-a consummation devoutly |
to be wished. as it would set at
rest forever the contentious be-
tween the Inman and White Star
steamers for the patronage of Gov
ernment.