Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-01-16
IpeAs AeouT eALLooNs.
A Suggestion That a erial Machines should
Be Made In Triplicate.

/ n suggestion That erial Machines should
BE Made In Triplicate.
Man exploits himself within very
narrow range of altitude. lie 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 atmos- heric ocean,
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
surface, ETC., we get an impression
of atmospheric phenomena at vari-
ance with what would be manifest
higher up.
The surface of deep, rapid run.
ming river is generally placid, while
at its bottom may be sharp eddies
and swirls, up and down currents as
bottom varies, all of which make but
little impression on the surface.
This ocean of atmosphere is in al
most continual shifting as the warm.
er regions of expansion, and the cold
er areas of condensation, and the
areas of varying pressure all inter
mingle, seeking equilibrium which
is ever again disturbed.
1t 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 into 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 carefully compared,
may we understand what may be
hoped for as to navigating this ocean,
what part air currents play in the
aerial economy and how and whether
we can utilize the knowledge in any
way to our advantage.
At the present time there is moth.
ing in which to make these observa.
tions but to go up by the old balloon
method, on which there has been
scarcely any improvement since the
days of the Montgolfers, two cen.
turies 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 dan.
ger. To those who are interested in
aerial matters and contemplate struc
lures in which to make high and pro.
longed journeys, the writer respect
fully directs attention to the idea of
having one or more smaller balloons
inside the outer one.
Let us conceive of the triplicate
balloon. The first is the outer, the
safety she'll The second is smaller
and inside of No. 1. The third is the
main reliance and inside of the sec
ond. The intervening spaces are
also charged. The leakage is much
less. The entire outfit cannot be 30
jeopardized in case of accident.
The outer saves the second; both
save the innermost. This is the main.
stay, and as the outside is the same
as the inside pressure there is nei.
ther strain nor particle of leakage.
A small outside captive might still
be held in tow for experiment.
With plenty of ballast, fluids and
provisions, a two months continuous
journey might be made and, currents
favoring, the circumnavigation of
the globe might be accomplished.
The grand possibilities in polar and
all other geographical knowledge in
thus getting bird'seye views of the
earth and photographing them are
simply such as to stagger the imag.
ination. 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 high
er.-Pittsburg Dispatch.