The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-09
EXPLORING BY BALLOON.

EAPLOkING BY BALLOON.
Andree's Proposed Trip to the po,o IN
FOrty-Three Hours,
Tihe sw1ftest Journeys and the H;gbest
Ascensions Ever Made With Air sbins-
Some Practical Uses !of the Ba,,oon- A
Trolley Air Line and Its OPERATE,
Until few,years ago every balloonist
was regarded as visionary crank. and
even now the mere mention of balloon
expedition to the North Pole is received
with ird,edulity and regarded either as q
joke or the utterance of scientific
dreamer. But to one who has made q
thorough investigation Of all the facts
suoh an expedition appears not only pos
sible, but far more practical than one
undertaken in any other way, writes
Philip Atkinson In the New York SIM.
Wbsle it must DO admitted that aerial
science has made very slow progress since
1888, when Montgolfler and others made
the first ascensions. yet progress has been
made, especially within the last few
years, and other inventions have con-
tFdbuted to this end. So that while the
balloon is still very far from being a
perfect success, 1t is no longer the help
Less thing that ii was thirty years ago. a
silk bag with basket attached, floating
ainalessly at the merry Of the winds
like ship without rudder, sail or en-
CINE. 1t has now begun to assume 1.-THE
dignity of an air ship both in form and
in Its means of propulsion and control.
The air ship recently invented by
Count Van Zepplin, a German military
officer, represents, perhaps better than
any other. the latest results in the eyo-
luton of the balloon. This invention.
to which he has devoted the last six
years. is balloon with cigar-shaped
gas reservoir. which can be propelled and
steered in any direction, horizontal lily or
vertically, forward or backward, in
which 1t is claimed that the problem of
aerial navigation, in all its details, has
been satisfactorily solved, and all obsta-
Giles overcome. His apparat us has been
approved by the leading scientists.
among whom was the late DR.. Helm
holtz, and also by the German Emperor.
1t is propelled by DAIMLER kerosene
motor, made entirely of aluminium, and
is provided both with wings and propel-,
ling screws; and special provision has
been made to prevent the waste Of gas,
SO that continued voyage of seven OF
more days can be made without descent
or renewal Of imitation.
Tho balloon in which theH Swedish
aeronaut S. A. Andree will attempt will
attempt to penetrate the Arctic regions
in July of this year is constructed with
reservoir having double covering,
said to be imporyious to hydrogen, or at
least sufficiently so as to keep tho bal
loon afoat for thirty days, and having a
capacity of 5s, 800 cubic feet and lifting
power, when inflated with hydrogen, of
about 1905 pounds. The balloon will car
~ three persons and provisions for four
months, besides scientific instruments
and Berton's collapsable boats, and the
car Ia capable of instant. detachment from
the reservoir. No propelling apparatus
is to be used, the wind alone to be the
means OF propulsion. It will be provided
with sail and also drag or guide ropes,
which will trail along tho surface below
and retard the balloon, making it's rate
of speed about 25 per cont. less than that
of the wind, and hence capable of being
steered. This apparatus has often been
used by Herr Andrea, enabling him to
sail at an angle Of 81 to 40 degrees from
the directioniof the wind. The sailing
altitude is to be 9,S421a feet, or little
less than two miles, and it is expected
that this altitude will keep the balloon
above the surface fogs, and below the
lowest clouds. This will be accom-
plished by the guide ropes, the weight Of
which on the balloon constantly increases
during ascent, as rope is taken up from
the surface. till a point is reached where
it will counterbalance the lifting power
of the gas. The contrary effect is pro-
duced by descent, in proportion to the
weight of rope supported on the surface,
so that any tendency to vary from the
sailing altitude fixed by this counterbal-
ance will be checked in this way. The
ropes are SO constructed as to be support
ed on the surface of the water as woll as
on that of the land
The balloon Is to be taken to Spitzber-
gen in June and inflated in temporary
structure erected there, hydrogen con-
densed in tanks being transported there
for this purpose. 1t is to sail from Cape