The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-02-01
IDEAS ABOUT BALLOONS.
Suggestion That They Should BE
Made in TripIicate.

Man exploits himself within a very
narrow range of altitude. He is never
much below the ocean level and not
much above it. He hugs the surface
and much of this is too high for his
comfort As regards the atmo~rheric
ocean, says the Pittsburg Dr.. Itch,
we live at its bottom, and as the floor
of this aerial ocean, namely, the dry
land surface is much interrupted by
protruding objects, variations of sur
face, etc, we get an impression of
atmospheric phenomena at variance
with what would be manifest higher
UP.
The surface of a deep, rapid running
river is generally placid, while at its
bottom may be sharp eddies and swirls,
up and down currents as bottom varies,
ali Of which makes but little impression
on the surface.
This ocean of atmosphere is in al
most continual shifting as the warmer
regions of expansion and the colder
areas of condensation and the areas of
varying pressure all intermingle, seek
ing equilibrium vr.ich is ever again
disturbed.
It is, therefore of necessity to know
more than We now know Of the char
acter Of the upper atmosphere, and to
learn this It is necessary to ascend up
to It This must be studied away from
the surface influences, and only when
many observations have been taken
made from many different points, in
all seasons. and the results are care
fully compared, may we understand
what may be hoped for as to navigat-
ing this ocean. what part air currents
play in the aerial economy ana how
and whether we can utilize the knowl-
edge in amy way to our advantage.
At the present time there is nothing
in which to make these observations
but to go up by the old balloon method
on which there has been scarcely any
Improvement since the days of the
Montgolfiers. two centuries ago.
What is now in order is to devise a
construction that shall reach the
highest maximum of safety and to the
lowest point minimize the danger To
thos ewho are Interested in aerial mat
terS and contemplate structures in
which 10 make high and prolonged
journeys. the writer respectfully di-
reefs attention to the idea of having
one or more small balloons inside OF
the outer one.
Let US conceive Of the trfpIicate bal
loon. The first is the outer, the safety
shell The second is smaller and in
side of No. ]. The third is the main
reliance and inside of the second.
The intervening spaces are also
charged. The leakage is much less.
The entire outfit cannot be so jeopar-
died in case of accident
The outer sayes the second. both
save the innernost. This is the main
stay, and as the outside is the same
as the inside pressure, there is neither
strain nor particle of leakage. A
small outside captive might still he
held in tow for experiment.
With plenty Of ballast, fluids and
provisions, a two months continuous
journey might be made. and. currents
faForing. the circumnavigation Of. the
globe might be accomplished.
The grand possibilities in polar and
eli other geographical knowledge in
thus getting birds eye views of the
earth and photographing them is sim
ply such as to stagger the Imagination.
Even If the inner structures were not
within each other, and only inside of
The outer one, any one can see that
the safety line is much higher.