Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-09-13
TWO MONTHS IN rnE AIR.
Professor King Building Il Ciant Hal.
loon 10 Cross the Ocean.


daring acronautical fent Is 10 10 ~
tempted some time during the present
year. Professor Samuel a. King, the
we'll known acronaut proposes to start
from New York on balloon VOYAGE
Which shall terminate on some portion
Of the European continent. Several
years ago 4 proposition was made to
Professor King To undertake the task,
the SUM Of $4,000 was guaranteed NV
some wealthy New Workers 10 cover
the necessary expense. For prudent
ial reasons the aeronaut ut that time
decided To decline the offer Last
winter, however, while making some
experiments in balloons for the How
gate expedition, he was successful in
discovering II sui stance of such inn
pcnctrability that u balloon Of 100000
feet would not lose moro than pcr
cent. of gas in twcnty-fOur' hours, SO
that after n journey occupying twenty
days 10000 feet ot gas would still r..
main. The importance Of this discoy-
cry is recognized when it is stated that
mn average balloon wlllosc 20 per cent.
If Gas IN tWcnty-iour hours. This new
idea was communicated TO the Now
Workers, who renewed their previous
offer Professor King ut once accepted,
and tho construction Of the balloon
which will occupy the whole Of the
ensuing winter and spring, will bc nj
once commenced.
Tic balloon will 30 the largest ii tie
world II will average about ninety
feet in diameter and 215 feet in en-
conference, with acapacltv for holding
between 3 and 100000 feet of gas. The
material employed nil be longee silk
Of a special manufacture, coated with
Il substance known only 10 the prolc--
sor The silk will be doubled through
ont. Pure hydrogen gas will he used,
and the cost of initiation alone is ap-
proxmatcd At 5000 Tie car will bc
combination OF boat and basket, Il
wicker framework covered with II
heavy rubber substance which can
easily be used liz boat i'll case Of
emergency.
al shall positively start early in
June, said the professor last night.
!" consider that the month i'll which
thunder storms, which | do not wish
to encounter, are the least frequent.
The starting point will be either Now
York Or Brooklyn. propose 10 keep
in the lower currents, and TO maintain
tain permanent altitude Of 5O0 feet
above water. shall entirely discard
the theory Of sailing in currents from
west to east ut height Of three miles.
When you reach that height the gas be-
gins to lose by expansion. Then, when
you begin TO descend, ballast must be
thrown out. You rise again; more gas
il lost; another descent; another throw
ing overheard Of ballast, and 20 on
until I'll your ballast Is gone, and then
you come down for good. Under my
scheme expect 70 be able To keep IL
iii the mir for two months, if necessary,
while there has never been n balloon
which ha- kept detached from earth
for 4 longer period than twenty-fcm
hours"
What period Of time do You antici
pate the transatlantic voyage will %.
cnply,:.
make at least twenty miles an hour III
addition t. the ballast, tie balloon will
carry large, heavy rope, which Will
drag the water. This will have ten
dency to keep Is in permanent altl-
tndc liz which have spoken"