The times., 1897-04-25

The great problem is at length solved.
The air, as well as the earth and ocean,
has been subdued by science, and Will
become u common and convenient high
way for mankind.
The Atlantic has been actually crossed
in a balloon. and this, too without diff
culty-without any great apparent dan
ger-with thorough control OF the ma
chine and in the inconceivably brief
period of seventy-five hours from shore
to shore. By the energy of an agent at
Charleston, S. c., we are enabled to be
the first to furnish the public with
detailed account OF this most extraor-
dinary voyage, which was performed be-
tween Saturday, the 9Th instant, at IL
a. M, and p. m, on Tuesday, the 9th
instant, by Sir Everard Bringhurst; Mr.
Osborne, nephew of Lord Bentinck' S; MI
Monck Mason and Mr.. Robert Holland, the
well-known aeronauts; Mr.. Harrison Aims
worth, author of ''Jack Sheppard" etc,
and Mr. Henson, the protector of the late
unsuccessful flying machine, with two
seamen from Woolwich in all, eight per
sons. The particulars furnished below
may be relied on as authentic and accurate
in every respect, as, with slight eHcep-
ton, they are copied verbatim from the
joint diaries OF Mr.. Monck Mason and Mr.
Harrison Ainsworth, to whose politeness
our agent is also indebted for much verbal
information respecting the balloon it
self, its construction, and other matters
of interest The only alterationin the MS.
received, has been made for the purpose
of throwing the hurried account OF our
agent, Mr.. Forsyth, in connected and
intclli gent form
Two very decided failures, of late
those Of Mr.. Henson and Sir GeorEe
Cayley-had much weakened the pub
lie interest in the subject OF aerial nav
igation. Nh. Henson's scheme (Which at
first was considered very feasible, even
by men of science) was founded upon the
principle of an inclined plane, started from
an eminence by an intrinsic force, ap-
piled and continued by the evolution OF
impipging vanes, in fern and number re-
semhlng the yanes OF windmill. But,
in all the experiments made with models
at the Adelaide Gallery,it was found that
the operation Of these fans not only did
not prupel the machine, but actuallyimped-
ed its flight The only propelling force IL
ever exhibited was the mere impetus
acquired frcm the descent Of the inclined
nlane: and this impetus carried the ma
chine further when the vanes We're at rest.
I than when they were in motion-a fact
which sufficiently demonstrates their IN
utility; and in the absence ofthe propeling,
which was also the sustaining power, the
whole fabric would necessarily descend
This consideration led Sir George Cayiey
to think only Of adapting a propeller to
- tlr n
pendent power OF suppOrt-in word, tn
a balloon; the idea, however, being novel,
or original, with Sir George, only so fur
as regards the mode OF It's application 10
practice He exhibited a model or his
invention at the Polytechnic Institution
The propelling principle, or power was
here, also. applied to interrupted surfaces,
or yancs put in revolution. These yanes
were four I n number, but were found entire
Iy Intellectual in moving the balloon, or in
aiding its ascending power The whole
project was thusa complete failure.
1t was at this Juncture that Mr. Monck
Mason (whose voyage from Dover TO We'll
burg in the balloon Nassau oCcaSiOned
so much excitement In 1877 conceived
the idea of employing the principle of the
ArchimRdean screw for the purpose ofpru-
pusion through the air-rightly attrib-
utIng the failure of Mr.. Henson S scheme
and OF Sir George Cayley's TO the inter
ruption of service in the Observation-Disclosures
He made the first public experiment at
Wills Rooms, but afteTward removed his
model TO the Adelaide Gallery.
Like Sir George Cayley' s balloon. his own
was an ellipsoid. Its length was thirteen
feet sixinches-height,s six feet eightinCheS.
1t contained about $50 cubic feet of gas,
which, If pure hydrogen, would support
twenty-one pounds upon its first imitation,
before the gas has time to deteriorate or
escape. The weight of the whole machine
ami apparatus wasseyenteeu pouuds-leav-
ing about four pounds to spare. Beneath
the center of the balloon was frame of
light wood, about nine feet long, andrigged
on to the balloon itself with network
in the customary manner From this framC-
work was suspended u wicker basket or
car
The screw consists of an axis or hollow
brass tube, eighteen inches in length,
through which, upon semi-spiral inclined
at fifteen degrees, pass a series of steel
wire radii, .w o feet long, and thus pro-
tecting a foot on either side. These radii
two bands of fIattened wire-the whole in
this manner forming the framework OF the
screw. which is completed by cover
ing of oiled silk cut into cores, and
Jghtened so as to present tolerably
uniform surface At each end OF its
axis this screw is supported by pillars
of hollow brass tube descending from
the hoop In the lower ends of these
tubes are holes in which the pivots OF
the axis revolve. From the end OF the
axis which is next the car, proceeds a
shaft of steel, connecting the screw
with the pinion of piece of spring
machinery fixed in the car BY the
operation of this sprin G, the screw is
made to revolve with great rapidity,
commun catin 6 progressive mo IL on
To the whole BY the means OF the rudder
the machine was readily turned In any
direction. The spring was of great
power, compared with it's dimensions
being capable OF raising forty-nve
pounds upon n barrel OF four inches diameter
after the first turn, and gradually in
creasing as it was wound up 1t weighed.
ssogether, eight pounds, six ounces. The
rudder was a light frame of cane covered
with silk, shaped somewhat like battle
dore, and was about three feet long, and at
the widest, one foot. Its weight was about
two ounces. 1t could be turned flat, and
directed upward or downward, a. well as
to the right or left; and thus enabled the
aeronaut to transfer the resistance of the
air. which in an inclined position it III ust
generate in it's passage, to any side upon
which he might desire to act; thus deter
mining the balloon in the opposite direc-
ton
uhis ,ncdal (which through want of