New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-25
Across tho Ocean in Fifty Hours

The Baltimore american says: Mr.. W.
F. Schroeder. an enthusiastic young Ger
man, has Just obtained from the United
States letters patent for his invention OF a
balloon, by which, as is claimed by the in
ventor, voyage from New York to London
can be accomplished in fifty hours. Mr..
Schroeder has gained the valuable assist
ance of capitalist in the person of Mr.
George w. Gail, of the firm of Gair& AK.
who is to furnish the necessary means for
the construction of the floating air vessel.
It is stated that Postmaster General jew
ell has expressed himself gratiied with this
new Invention, and that Baron Won
Schloezer. the German ambassador, has
taken with him 10 Europe drawings and
plans of the balloon, which are to be
submitted, as is stated, to the Ger
man government. The vessel is to be
constructed in the form Of lifeboat,
sixty feet long, ten feet wide and twelve
feet high. The frame is to consist Of wire
and steel, and will be covered with strong
water proof linen. The vessel is to be car
ried by, and to be connected with, a balloon
of linen, which will hold 10000 cubic feet of
gas. In the vessel will be an engine of
twelve horse power, which will set in motion
the wings or sails on each side of the vessel.
The prOpellers will be constructed on the
same principle as vindmills. The machine
can De so placed that both propellers can be
made to work in one direction, or one may
pull and the other push. Upon the ascension
of the balloon the propeller in front is placed
in melton: after reaching the height
desired. the screws are SCI to work and the
vessel follows the direction given it by the
pilot. The vessel is likewise provided with
two blades. which move simultaneously,
but turn in opposite directions. A gas ma
chine will be attached to the balloon to
To 10 a
In case of leak in the balloon. other
smaller balloons filled with gas will be On
hand, and when placed in the larger o le
will serve to stop the leakage. The con.
tract for the construction OF the balloon has
already been given out, and the work is to
be completed August 5.
Mr.. Schroeder expects be able to make a
voyage in this balloon from Baltimore to
New York in one and half hours, when
the wind is favorable. The voyage by the
balloon from New York to London is to be
made in fifty hours. Mr.. Schroeder states
that if he is iDtrusted with the carrying Of
postal matter to Europe he can complete
the route from New York to Hamb burg
Paris, Lisbon and Washington in the space
of six days. The whole vessel will weigh
$500 pounds, and il is thought that, in ad
dition to the carriage of postal matter, four.
teen passeUg gers can be transported in 1t.
Auo iufcusoI AZ tHlEly clSur Years VI aye,
having been born in tho kingdom OF Han
over. During the Crim.an war, when
seventeen years Of age. he was appointed
lieutenant N the British service. and at the
end of the war went with the British army
to Africa, and took part in various engage
ments with the natives at the Cape of
Good Hope. In 1853 he emgrated %
America. entered the Union army during
the late war, and mace a number of trips
1.,i
tain. After the war he travelled through
South America. For the last three years
he has been working at the. invention for
which he now possesses a patent.