The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-25

ohApo Uuo apparatus Ii detail
~oulo Do difficult, and would involve
suoh nse of scientific terms that the read
" would be mystified rather than enligb-
tehed. In brief, the cartridge is divided
in'o nve compartments, four of which
arc nlied with ether. The spring has
inc same influence on the rocket that the
uall mas on kite. Like a submarine
torpedo. the cylinder is cigar.shaped,
mus oHering less resistance to the at
mospnere Gauged according to condi-
Oions prevailing at the time when the
ihachine is launched, this piston rod
may De regulated to discharge the caps at
the desired height.
MI. y. f. Smith, an eminent engi-
neer' who has devoted several years to
1he study of atmospheric phenomena,
salu, when questioned as to the feasibil-
lty u tho plan "There is much to be said
on Doth sides. In the first place, it would
pe very easy matter to force rocket up
TO the height of mile. Secondly, the
fundamental idoa is correct. from u
acknowledgement of view, for, as nearly every
one knows, oil currents of air contain
more or less vapor. When a substance
winch has tendency to absorb heat is
introduced into these currents the air is
cooled, and by reason Of the loss OF heat a
condensation of vapor follows. This is
demonstrated by the falling of dews
eaoh night during hot weather. When
the sun has sunk below the horizon. the
earth rapidly cools. The moisture near
it is thereby condensed, and deposit OF
dew results. There are, however, several
objections to the scheme that suggest
themselves In my mind. One is that, as
1T costs in the neighborhoud of $500 to
discharge twentyton modern gun, it
would necessitate corresponding outlay
for each discharge Of these rockets; thus
the rain would come very high. Another
objection to the scheme is that, to make
the rainfall cover any considerable area,
1T would be necessary to raise the rocket
to very great height before the machine
containing the ether is discharged. Now
it seems to me that before the condensed
moisture could reach the earth 1t would
become vaporized again, because of the
atmospheric pressure which induces
heat.n
Mr.. Erick Enequist. consulting and
manufacturing chemist, said in regard
to the scheme:
EYES, it is perfectly feasible. in my esti-
nation. The only objection that can
conceive is that of the enormous expense
attached to the operation of discharGing
the rockets and the subsequent discharge
of the cartridge containing the ether. 1t
would cost several hundred dollars for a
quantity of explosives sufficient to force
the rockets the required height; and as it
ether to oondense enough vaporized mois-
ture to make a rainfall of any extent, the
supply of this material would be quite
expensive. The market price of ether is
about 80 cents pound, and one can
easily see that to obtain any large amount
of rain very large expenditure of money
would be required.
Eyes, several other chemicals ooulu be
easily substituted for ether, and at a for
less cost, but cannot enumerate them
just now. Ammonia would not answer,
as it does not evaporate with sufficient
rapidity to transform the moisture in the
atmosphere into rain in, time or i'll guam
tity to be of any practical value
Then, too, there must always be an
element of danger attached to these opera
ations, which can not be entirely over
looked. That is, in the method employed
in carrying the ether in the rocket. To
obtain good results the ether uust neces-
sarily be compressed. and to do this a
shell, possibly OF steel, must be employed.
When this explodes the fragments must
fly in all directions, and / can see great
possibility of persons in the path of the
artificial thunder storm receiving per.
sonal injuries. ] do not believe how
ever, thaE there is any possibility of the
CONDENSED moisture being eyaporized
while falling through one mile to the
earth"