The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-07-18
SAILING IN AIR CURRENTS.
what an Old Hand mt BaiiooninE Says or the
Proposed Venture OF Andrce.
From the rhiIadelphia Record.

FFVW to tSoFN
Andrea. the Swedish scientist, was to have
sailed in his balloon from Spitzbergen on July
/, and II oil his plans have been successfully
carried through and his hopes realized, tho
Swedish flag is now floating at the North Pole.
Andree expected to travel the distance between
Spitzbergen and the Pole within two or three
days at least, though he was prepared for a trip
of as many months, II necessary.
Whatever may be the result Of Andree's yen
ture, there is at least one man in this city who
declares his belief that Andrea will not only not
discover the Pole, but that he will not oven
make q start. The gentleman who holds these
pessimistic views is Prof. Samuel A. King, who
has probably made more balloon ascensions than
any other man in this country. Mr.. King con-
fcsses with becoming modesty that he may not
know quito as much about the science of aero
nautics as Andree does, but he thinks that by
virtue Of his ~forty-six years experience he
should be credited with knowing just a thing or
"Andree may know his business pretty thor.
oughly,'" says the professor, but | confess that l
would be afraid to tafe the trip with as little
preparation as he seems to have made. In
with his balloon to determine just what it is
Of drag r ropes to aid him IN controlling his air
ship. Now, a drag rope is q rather eccentric
get satD she /" better o Of him he SHv viii be done e. There is
be an awful thing to 30 cast adrift in such q
for in waiting for a favorable wind he is likely
But mind you,' continued the veteran,
pointing an impressive finger at his interviewer,
LOOM ~ have egs esi;st faith ihai in !, th IS s snPS Viii tS Of 1 bsI, bal;
ean be "a accompiished.. Before ali things else,
this experimentation that l proposed many years
ago to attempt q journey across the ATLANTIC
9seAo only ! . s@ sti the 5s ss6'o6 &c 1ses ssrs to tG' Fl IL out /
o balloon of proper size and furnished with the
necessary appliances for sustained flight:
might be adyantageously studied, and with a
balloon which could be Kept in the air for q long
ing in any direction he might wish to follow.
| believe that after such an experimental trip
sired terminus in south Africa. There is a great
future before the airshig, but the flying ma.
machine is wrong. It is designed to battle
with the elements. while on the other hand the
balloon and tho winds are allies.
81 think it will DO interesting to cite a few
Of my experiences in the upper air to show
what remarkable things can be accomplished
ing currents. Ono Of my longest voyages was
made from Buffalo as a starting point, with
we sailed over the Alleghanies and down alone
the II course nca Of w the asnf River to Havrs
longer, but when we came over Havre de
Grace we found the waters of the ocean, Chesa-
peake Bay, and Delaware Bay upon three sideg
OF us. l dropped the balloon a short distance
and ran into an air current at right angles to
the one we had been following. This wind
carried us over the Delaware Bay and we
finally came down at Salem, in southern New
Upon another occasion I made an ascension
from Nashville. We started from the centre
OF the town, and Capitol Hill was black with
people watching US. The balloon in rising float.
ed in the direction Of tho hill, and passed over
its brow. Then we struck a current blowing
exactly in the opposite direction, and we trav
elled with 1t for possibly a dozen miles. A
prominent citizen OF Nashville was with me
and / said TO HIM.
"'I'm going back now to where We started
from He thought l was joking, but / called
his attention 10 the fact that the first current
we had struck had carried us toward Capito
Hill, and l know ! could strike that current
again. l brought tho balloon down gradually
until, sure enough, We began to move back
to Nashville. In n very little while we passed
over the brow of Capitol Hill, and, strangel,
enough, VIC were becalmed there, so that fol
converted with the people. Presently another
wind struck us, and we were off to the north
II had even a NOR" remarkable experienc,
at Akron. o., upon another occasion. / hat
engaged to give two ascensions from tn,
county fair grounds. ! got my balloon of II
good shape, and away / sailed to the east. w,
covered eleven. miles In that direction. ant
then / decided to go back. l had passed
through an east wind on the ascent, and
back to the fair grounds, and l landed npol
the exact spot from which ! had started.
made my balloon secure and used the same gal
for the second ascension, two days later