Evening star., 1895-06-15

orally realized. We have learned for the
first time how to make a gss-tight balloon
obviously a prime requisite for success In
navigating the atmosphere. Next we have
demonstrated the practicability of propel-
ling the airsf ip. Propulsion once accom-
plished, there Is no difficulty about steer
ing. You cannot steer a balloon that Is
merely drifting with the air currents. For
the same reason, you canEot exercise with
rudder any control over boat that is
drifting with the current of stream.
But give to the boat even a little power of
propulsion and you can steer. The same
proposition applies to an airship. For want
of better means, 1 would equip my pole
bound ballo on with propellers which could
be worked with the feet like bicycle. To
go straight against the wind would be too
laborious, but l could tack. If I could go
only two miles an hour my rudder would
act.
A Trip of Only Thirty Days.
1.-THE distance to be traversed from the
islands off the Lena delta to the pole is
only a few hundred miles. Going at the
rate of only two miles an hour it would be
practicable to reach the destination and
return within thirty days. But, with
strong and favoring wind, we might get
there in couple of days, or even less.
Having attained the goal any wind would
carry us southwark, for we should not be
obliged to back to our original point Of de-
parture. The party, l conceive, ought to
consist of six men. I would take with me
a second and smaller balloon, the neck of
which could be attached to the neck of the
larger gas bag. This secondary balloon
might have capacity of 10000 cubic feet,
but it would be empty at the start.
1T Is very important for the aeronaut,
when he finds the wind against him, to be
able to rise above the unfavorable current.
In higher level Of the atmosphere he may
strike favoring breeze, which at an ele-
walton of mile and a half is likely to blow
at tremendous rate-perhaps forty or
fifty miles an hour. Hitherto the trouble
has been that, owing to the greater tenuity
of the atmosphere above, the gas would
expand as the balloon rose, and escape out
of the neck. This loss of precious gas is
prevented by the smaller bag, which re-
celVes the gas that escapes from the bigger
one. On descending to a lower level the
gas thus saved is returned to the large
balloon simply by pulling down the little
one, when the hydrogen which it contains
obeys the law Of nature and ascends into
the great bag.
Il have said that our big balloon would
lift 1900 pounds. Let us suppose that the
trip to the pole would require thirty days,
during which we would lose one per cent
OF gas per diem, or twice much as the
due allowance. This escape would signify
loss OF 4,2oo pounds lifting power. We
have, have left; then, $500 pounds. Six men
would weigh 800 pounds. Add for balloon
outfit and propeller, LOO pounds, and for
boat, 800 pounds more. Suppose that
each OF the men consumed five pounds of
io'u hiu water per lnaC would make
thirty pounds a day, or 800 pounds for
thirty days. Sum these items up, and you
will have a total of 3,4OO pounds So you
would start with 6.4O0 pounds of ballast.
part of this ballast would consist of the
empty smaller balloon, which could be cut
up and thrown away piecemeal in case of an
emergency. The last thing to be sacrificed
would be the boat, which would be the
nope of safety in case the air ship collapsed
and fell into the water. Many aeronauts
have been reduced to the extremity of cut
ting away the basket and holding, ON to
the ring of the balloon.
I'VE should require as many as six men,
in order that they might take turns in
operating the propeller. start might be
made conveniently from so degrees north
latitude. which would be 700 miles from the
pole. 1 have said that no great speed
would be required. In case of a head wind
we could throw out an anchor and wait
for favoring breeze. or we might rise to
higher level and find current going our
way. At an elevation Of one and half
miles the winds are apt to blow at rate
ten times as fast as near the surface of the
earth. With breezes not extremely unfa-
vorable, we could run straight to the pole.
Give me a steam propeller and I would go
up humming." RENE BACHE.