Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1881-08-31
ADVERTISING RATES,
BALLOON Trip Across the Atlantic.


balloon Trip Across the Atlantic.
Prot. Samuel a, k;ag started for Miunespo
lis. IOdi.na, Saturday Hith his big balloon. the
"Gseat Northwest" o. September he will
begin trip to the Atlantic coast, making ex-
periments tIas will be Of great value to him
Whca he shall attempt ct somo future time to
cross the Atlantic.
This voyago from Minneapolis is one of sew
era! preliminary eX2er,m ,uts before attempting
to cross the tc:an. When he takes that &C ian
trip ho will run uadcr the drag rope 10 other
words he will keep thrao OF four huadrsd feet
above tho Water, Hhils tho ED of a long rope
hanging tecm his basket. or rather life raft, will
tre!! through the waves. The upper cir cur.
r:ns set,lax eastward he considers an exploded
notioo. Even Il there were q current at the
heigAt OF three a9d u half or four NIL tho
balloon wIuid ioso half OF its ges ty expansion
before 1t cCud reach that roiu:; and balloon
vi halt .. iis vitality gone at the outset
Wouidnt Do 9Orih mrCl In an oceen vcysg,
He g1es upon ths theory Storms the At
leuuc r,VJlve abuuI q Centre, which c.ptre
IN )Scs toward the east. Although be might
LII ,et adverse winds one day ana variable the
yext, the mass ct the atmosphere vi still
b. toward the eest. 10 other words, for every
step backward he would take Two fJrpatd, and,
if the Balloon could be made to f,at long
enough il would rssch tho her side eventu.
ally. Ofc,urse, upln this theory 20 practical
use o1uid ever be mad, of balloons ss trausat-
lsntc air ships, but s1ch a trip c.uld hardly
tsli 70 b3 OF great benefit 10 sclerce
w. NJ. ~
The Couey Island bag, which held IA 600 cubic
feet of eas. Pbe new balloon will hold 100 600
feet ooIy. but IS the gas used will DO hydrogen,
l:s liititg power viii be very great. Tho BAL
lnoa proper will weigh 700 pounds. the netting
800 or 400 more. and the basket. drag rope.
aod ancnor IS mu,h mora. A dcz.u men, at
80 average wsight of $50 pounds each, will add
l 500 pouads more, and then there is the bal.
last, snd Rood quantity must bo taken, even if
e0: r7thiog else is lofs behind. Tho balloon is
made OF dorble thickness of rubber cloth, o
material entirely novel to bslIooniug in this
country. At the top thleo liokaessss are &C..
cureiy scanned together. The valve is made of
copper, aud weighs over fifty pouuds The
rubber strips are 95 feet 10 epgvh. spd
weigh 70O pcuods when stretched and
ceneuted together. Tho balloon has beou
msdo almost eatlroy gas.tipht By l2O
ooats o; rubber, end Professor King estimates
that the loss OF gas by leakage will not ex-
oeed per c.nt day. If ths Leakage we're the
only loss the balloon might hoat for weeks, bus
thero cannot tall to bs sn overflow" or q les,
through the peck of the balloon by expansion.
Every time the suu shines brightly upoa the
bag the ges expands Tne neck, or funnel
shsped p>rion of the balloon a. the bottom is
1eVa! cla8ed, so that is is possible to sit in the
basket aud lonk upward into tho interior of the
bag. This neck is safety valve. When the
gas expands It is fore ID cut through the OK,
and the loss By this ove;f,W il always lsrg..
Tho start wi b made q, the appointed time,
cn matter how the wind blows.
1t i, Tho intention of Pfuf. King to mako this
seslea Of voyages Instead # ooe cootinu,us
trip. Ia othor words. he will descend as often
az necessary, and probably NOR, thar once ca,
supper at sprs iatm house. This c,n very
easily bs done, for ss soou as possible after
the voyage begils ha will ,ms dowo out Of tbs
clouds AID let mis- dfsG rop, trail. He wants to
g't experience in its usa s5d the Wld, stretches
ct Westeru prairie lands will bo ths Very
neXs thing 10 tho cpon ocean. |. will be very
easy task Tor two or ttrse m 70 90 the grouou
to 5Ciz' this drag rope, aud pull the balloon
d1En. Ae e;onsus always prefers this sort OF
s laLGifg.