The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1875-07-26

DaSSauOr, VIII tHo luca3 eh"s ho neso
taken with him to Europe plans and
drawings of the new air ship to be pre-
sented to the German Government for
adoption in military and other capaci-
ties, should it prove as successful as is
anticipated.
AS further and more substantial in-
dorsement of the plan, Mr.. George w.
Gail, of the well-known firm of Gail u
Ak, has advanced the necessary means
for the construction of the vessel, and
will do everything in his power to make
the invention success. The contract
has already been given cut, and the
work is to be completed by August 9th,
and a trial trip at once made. Post
master General Jewell is, it is said, also
deeply interested in the experiment, and
will intrust some European mail-matter
to il on its first transatlantic voyage.
Concerning the construction OF the
vessel and the plan for its workings, the
Baltimore American says:
The vessel is to be constructed In the
form of life boat, 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 waterproof
linen. This vessel is to be carried by,
and to be connected with balloon OF
linen, which will hold 10000 cubic feet
of gas. In the vessel will be an engine
of tNelve-horse power, which will set in
motion the wings or sails on each side of
the vessel. The propellers will be con-
structed on the same principal as wind
mills. The machine can be so placed
that both propellers can be made to
work in one direction, or one may pull
and the other push. Upon the ascen-
sion OF the balloon the propeller in
front is placed in motion; after being
at the height desired, the screws
follows the direction given 1t by
the pilot. The vessel Is likewise proyi-
ded with. two blades which move SIM
ultaneously, but turn in opposite direc.
tions. A gas machine will be attached
to the balloon to supply the necessary
gas during the voyage. In case OF leak
In the balloon other smaller balloons,
filed with gas are always on hand, and
when placed in the larger one will serve
| to stop the leakage.
| The whole vessel will weigh. twenty
eight hundred pounds, and 1t is though
| that in addition to the carriage of postal
matter, fourteen passengers Can bt
| transported in it.
Whether the project will prove sue
cessful remains yet to be seen, and is
indeed, matter Of serious doubt
| Should the much talked of theory o
available air currents prove correc
there is a possibility that the trips may
be made with safety and rapidity. Th,
great Wise and La Mountain trip o
1859, from St. Louis, Missouri, to Hen
derson, New Y ork, was accomplished a
the rate of about one mile per minute
and with no assistance Of paddle wheel
or steering apparatus. Mr.. Schroede
| teeis confident that he can make tn,
trans-At tlantic voyage in the time stated
and further says that if he is intrustet
with postal matter he will complete
tour from New York to Hamburg, Paris
Lisbon and Washington, in six days.
Experimental ballooning for the fur
| therance of science and in the aid of i'm
portant discoveries may be justifiable
and should, perhaps, not be objected t
when undertaken under proper restric
tions. The system, however, of maxim
ascensions for mere speculative an
financial purposes, with no object il
view and simply to crafty gapin
crowd and get their money, is to say tn
least questionable one, and the ide
advanced by many that it ought to b
prohibited by the authorities, as ar
other perilous exhibitions, is at least a.
interesting one and worthy of som
thought and popular discussion.