Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-29
TO ENGLAND IN FIVE TACKs.
Captain Petersen's Theoretical Solution
of the Aerial Navigation Problem.


Capt. Carl w. Petersen. of BROOKLYN
has sOlved-or he thinks he has-tbe Great
problem of aerial navigation, which has
VeXed the mind OF man ever since he first
evolved from mOnkeyhoOd. In proof of
this solution of the problem Mr.. Peter
sen has organized, Incorporated and is
sued the stock of "Petersen's American
Aerial Navigation Company" the pros
pectus of which bears a wood-cut Of one
of the air-ships sailing gracefully over
the Atlantic about 1000 miles above
ground, with a line of three cars i'm IFS
train, and more coming outside of the
perspective OF the picture. To be sure
there have been no experiments made as
| yet, and the belief that the air-vessel will
noat is based upon theory; but that is a
MINOR M point, ana II the experiment fails,
the principle will remain the same.
Mr., Petersen describes his aerial shin
IN his prospectus as an ''oblOng, horizon
tai, fiat, Feefable gas-yessel." It has YER
tical masts and wheels, so that it NAV
travel on the ground when starting on.
coming to stop, is furnished with closed
cabins that the Captain saws. "wiU float
the air-ship on the water with as much
stability as a sailing ship" Says the
prospectus! Sat the after or stern end
OF the vessel is a horizontal guiding sail
or rudder, piyoted to the ends of tour in
ciined arms; said rudder has also steer.
ing gears extending to a steering wheel
fngnds operated from JiIo i.asisla of tho ca
a1lia phis' SIS Tudder serves to direct & In IN
snip 10 any aeS--ad angle of vertical in
clinatiOn. Wire brIS-sS sor,,o o0i .i0'.l III
municati0n between the to- oabi,, I'm, I'm
as galleries Tor passengers and 81 ora,,. r.i,s.
on board. An apparatus for heatinSS.onl "
well as for cooling off the gas, is stationed.
inside OF each cabin. Said apparatus is
so constructed as to serve as an engirn tn
sla.
each mast.''
The balloon or ship is propelled by an
electric motor, and is operated thus: For
instance, If Mr.. Petersen were to start
from South Brooklyn to go to Liverpool,
as he might just exactly as well TO Paris
or st, Petersburg or the Cape of Good
Hope, the aIr-ship rests upon its wheels
in Mr.. PeteTsen's back yard, and the gas
is heated by means of the apparatus pro-
vided for this purpose. Heat exDands il
and increases its lifting power, and up
goes the ship, head first, because the other
end is weighted. 1t is nayigated by means
OF compass like vessel at sea, and
travels 60 miles an hour, moving forward
about q mile TO each 100 feet rise. When
the ship gets up too high the
gas is cooled and the vessel begins
to descend, and tnen when il gets too
low the gas is heated again and up she
rising and lowering a sstack," and says
that five tacks will carry the ship across
the Atlantic. Arriving at its destination,
the ship will descend into the street and
stop on the cr0ss-walk before the princi-
pal hotel, and the porters will assist to
carry In the baggage. Children will not
be permitted to eat peanuts la the cabin,
and mothers must be careful not to let
them fall from the window, as il would
ruin the constitutions of most children to
drop so many thousand feet.
An experimental vessel is at present in
process of construction and will be ex-
hibited, Mr.. Petersen says, before Christ
mas. The cOmmandants at Forts HamiE-
ton and Wadsworth, and the public at
large, are warned, in case they observe a
mysterious monster sailing over New
York Bay within the next few weeks. to
abstain from cannon and rifle practice or
they viii run the risk Of hitting Mr.. Pc
terseR.