The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-07-15
DEsoRpr1ox OF THE hfoxsrxn ana.

Vufbno euulcCtp tuo NOW IOkk QFOO0tC,
patron OF the enterprise, gives the fol-,
lowing details as to the dimensio1s, ma
terial. outfit, &c., Of the balloon to be
used in the great transatlantic voyage.
They are from specifications made by
Mr. Donaldson:
There will be two balloons, tho largest
OF which will be 3l8 feet in oircumfer-
ence, 100 feet in diameter, and ITO feet
in height. When inflated and ready to
start, The extreme height Of the appara-
tus, from the crown of the balloon to the
keel OF the life-boat, will be 160 feet.
The great balloon will require 4,316
yardsof cloth. The material is unbleaohed
sheeting, OF u thick, close quality, of the
brand known as "Indian Orchard" pur.
chased from Eldridge. DURHAM Sc Co.,
$40 Broadway. The crown of the bal.
loon will be doubled for distance of SO
feet from the top, with $50 yards of the
same material, and third thickness will
be- added of "Manchester Mills"
bleached, of which $50 yards are re.
qoired. There will be II, $50 yards, or
eight miles of sewing, in which 10, l37,.
GOO stitches will be mado. The stitching
is now being performed at the show
rooms of the Domestic Sewing Machine
Company, corner of Broadway and
Fourteenth street. by force of twelve
seamstresses. The thread used is silk
and cotton, tho top spool being silk. The
valve Of the balloon will be three feet in
diameter, and made of Spanish cedar,
with rubberooated clapper closing on
brass plate. The valve fixtures and
top OF the balloon are the essential parts
OF the apparatus, aud are being con-
structed with special care to guard
against any accident of arrangement.
The network will be composed OF three
strand tarred rope, known as "marlin. T"
The width OF the net will be 2l2 meshes,
and its breaking strength will be So, 300
pounds. 500 pounds of 'marlin' will be
used. From the netting. So ropes, "a
inch in diameter, OF Manila. will connect
with the concentrating rings. These
ropes will each be 80 feet in length, or
4,77O feet in the aggregate. The ooncsn-
trating rings will be three in number, to
gua;d against breakage, and will be each
ID inches in diameter. each ring being of
wood. iron bound. These rings will sus.
tain the car, Efe-boat and trailing rope,
and will bear the strain when the anchor
is thrown ont in landing. From the con-
oentrating rings, "a Manila 1-inch ropes,
each % feot long, or requiring 528 feet
in all, win depend, and form the frames
for an octagonal-shaped cor. 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 light pine door will
be laid loosely, so thct it can be thrown
out if required. The car will be covered
with duck, of which fifty yards will be
needed. Attached to the side of the car
will be light iron windlass, from which
the boat and trail rope can be raised and
| lowered as may be desired. From o
pulley attached to the concentrating
rings. heavy Manila rope will fall
down through the car, and thence to q
sling. attached to which will be the life
boat. This boat will be of the most
approved and careful construction. It
will have water-tight compartments,
sliding keel, and will be made so that it
will be self-righting. The boat will be
provided with complete outfit of oars
aud sails, and to it will be lashed instru-
ments, guns, lines, &c., and provisions
for thirty days. all in water-tight cases..
The trial rope, by which the mronaut
can maintain any desired altitude with
out resorsing to ballast, will be of Ma
| --AA'o AoPot "a AuSd tulCht bDu 1,OOO Icct
long. The car will be fully provided
with instruments. provisions, &c., inde-
pendently Of the boat. It will be 80
constrnoted that it can bs taken apart
piece. meal and disposed of as ballast.
1t will carry about 5000 pounds of
ballast, which will consist of bugs of
sand, each carefully weighed and marked.
Among the instruments to be carried in
the car, there will be galvanio battery,
| with On alarm. two barometers, two chro-
nometer watches, compound ther.
momcter, wet and dry bulb thermo-
meter, hygromctcr, componer, qua
drant chart, parachutes with fire balls
attached, and SO arranged rs to explode
when striking tho water. 80 as to indi-
cate tho direction travorsed, marine
glasses, two vacuum tubes, lime stove,
&c. A number Of carrier pigeons will
be taken along and despatched at Inter-
vals on the route, with Intelligence of
the progress Of the expedition.
The smaller balloon will be forty feet
in height and thirty -four feet in dame
ter, and will be mado from 4OS yards Of
| Manchester Mills" It's network will
consume twenty pounds of forty thread
cotton cord and Siy pOpn1a of Italinn