The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1878-09-21
Two Months in the Air.
philadelphia Reeord.l


In producing men who are prepared
to undertake the accomplishment of un-
heard-of feats of enterprise and daring
the American nation can fairly be said
to claim the palm. Stanley penetrated
the jungles of Africa and excelled Liv-
ingston, Boynton swan the Straits of
Dover, an American mariner and his
wife crossed the ocean in a tiny shell,
while Fowler, another American, has
just succeeded in literally walking over
the English Channel And now a dar-
ing aeronautical feat is to be attempted
some time during the present year. Pro-
fessor Samuel A. King, the well-known
aeronaut, and a Philadelphia by birth,
proposes TO cap the climax by doing his
level best to start from New York on n
balloon voyage which shall terminate
on some portion of the European Cont
nent.
Several years ago proposition was
made to Professor King TO undertake
the task, and the sum of $15,0 900 was
guaranteed by some wealthy New York
ers to cover the necessary expense. For
prudential reasons the aeronaut at
that time decided to decline the Offer
Last winter, however, while making
some improvements in balloons for the
Howgate expedition he was successful
in discovering substance of such i'm
penetrability that a balloon of a capacity
of one hundred thousand fee: would not
lose more than one per cent. of gas in
twenty-four hours, SO that after a
journey occupying twenty DAYS eighty
thousand feet of gas would still remain.
The importance of this discovery is
recognized when it is stated that an
average balloon will lose twenty per
cent. of gas in twenty-four hours. The
new idea was communicated to the New
Workers, who renewed their previous
offrr. Professor King at ance accepted,
and the construction of the balloon,
which will occupy the whole of the
ensuing winter and spring, will be at
once commenced.
The balloon in which the intrepid
aeronaut is to attempt to accomplish
the greatest feat of his life will, when
completed, be the largest in the world.
1t will average about so feet in diameter
and 275 feet in circumference, with
capacity for holding between 800, 900
400, 900 feet of gas. The material en-
ployed will be Pongee silk, of special
manufacture coated with substance
only known to the Professor. The silk
will be doubled throughout Pure hy-
drogen gas will be used, and the cost of
initiation alone is approximated at
$1,000. The car which the aeronaut
and his companions (if any will occupy
will be a combination of boat and bas-
ket, weaker framework, covered with
heavy rubber substance, which can cas-
lily be used as boat in case of emer-
gency.
81 shall positively start early in june"
said the Professor last night. " / con-
slider that the month in which thunder
storms, which do not wish to encounter,
are the least frequent. The starting
point will be either New York or Brook
Ign. | propose to keep in the lower
currents and to maintain a permanent
altitude of 500 feet above the surface of
the water shall entirely discard the
old theory of sailing in currents from
west to east at 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
is lost; another descent; further
throwing overheard of ballast, and so on
until all your ballast is gone, and then
you come down for good. Under my
scheme | expect to be able to keep in the
air for two months, if necessary, while
there has never been balloon which
has kept detached from the earth for
longer period than twenty-four hours"
"Wbat period of time do you antici-
pate the Transatlantic voyage will oc-
"That is hard to say, but expect to
make at least twenty miles an hour.
In addition to the ballast the balloon
will carry large, heavy rope, which will
drag the water. This well have ten
dency to keep us in the permanent alti-
tude of which have spoken. You see,
shall have to depend on the fair
weather winds at the surface of the
earth or water, which, at certain sea-
sons, are generally from west to east"
Have you any fears as to the result
of the adventure"
Well, now, of course, it is hazardous,
but we shall take great care in the con-
struction of the balloon; but, with
enough provisions on board, ! am fairly
confident that the feat will be accom-
plished with safety"
The only similar attempt on record
was that OF the Inflated Professor Don
aldson in 1873 The balloon on this oc-
casion was inflated by Professor King,
and was started from Brooklyn, several
newspaper correspondents being fellow
voyagers. 1t was Donaldson's first at
tempt at handling a balloon of such
size, and, consequently, after going over
about one hundred miles, he came down
at East Canaan, Conn.
Whether Professor King will take any
companions on his perilous voyage he
leaves to the future to determine. That
plenty of Americans have the neces-
sary courage is proved by the number
of letters he has already received from
would-be voyagers, several of whom
have been his companions in previous
aerial trips.