The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1878-09-08


In producing men who are pre-
pared to undertake the accomplish
ment of unheard-of feats of enter
prise and daring the American ma
ton can fairly be said to claim the
palm. Stanley penetrated the jun
giles of Africa and excelled Living
stone, Boynton swan the Straits of
Dover, an American mariner and his
wife crossed the ocean in Il tiny shell,
while Fowler, another American,
has just succeeded in literally "walk-
ing' over the English Channel. And
now Il daring Rronautical feat is to
he attempted some time during the
present year. Professor Samuel A.
King, the well-known eronaut, and
Philadelphia by birth, proposes to
cap the climax by doing his level
! best to start from New York on
balloon voyage which shall termi-
nate on some portion of the Euro
lpem Continent.
Several years ago proposition
was made to Professor King to I'M
dertake the task, and the sum of
$4,000 was guaranteed by some
wealthy New Workers TO cover the
necessary expense. For prudential
reasons the aronaut at the time de-
4, cidcd to decline the offer. Last win
ller, however, while making some
improvements i'm balloons for the
iJiowgate expedition he was SUCCESS
'r,al in discovering substance of
such impenetrability that balloon
of capacity of 100000 feet would
not lose more than per cent. of gas
in twcnty-tour hours, so that after "A
journey occupying twenty days 3d.
900 feet of gas would still remain.
The importance of this discovery is
recognised when IL is stated that an
average balloon will lose 20 per cent.
of gas in twenty-four hours. The
new idea was communicated to the
New Workers, who renewed their
previous offer. Professor King at
once accepted, and the construction
of the balloon, which will occupy
the whole of the ensuing winter and
spring, will be ut once commenced.
The balloon in which the intrepid
Ironant is to attempt to accomplish
the greatest feat of his life will, when
completed, be the largest in the world.
II will average about 80 feet in di-
ameter and 275 feet in circumference.
with a capacity for holding between
100000 and 400, 900 feet of gas. The
material employed will be Pongee
silk, of II special manufacture, coat
ed with II substance only known to
the Professor. The silk will be
doubled throughout. Pure hydro
gen gas will be used, and the cost of
imitation alone Is approximated at
$1,000. The car which the aronaut
and his companions Gf any will oc-
cupy will be combination of boat
and basket, a wicker frame work,
covered with n heavy rubber sub
stance, which can easily be used as a
boat in case of emergency.
81 shall positively start early in
june" said the Professor last night.
81 consider 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 Brooklyn. l propose to
keep in the lower currents and TO
maintain permanent altitude OF
800 feet above the surface of the wa
ter. 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
begins to lose by expansion. Then,
when you begin to descend, ballast
must be thrown out. You rise again;
more gas is lost; another descent; a
further throwing overheard of bal.
last, and so on until all your ballast
is gone, and then you come down for
good. Under my scheme expect &c
he able TO keep in the air for two
months, if necessary, while there has
never been u balloon which has kept
detached from the earth for Longer
period than twenty-four hours"