The times., 1897-04-25
Edgar Allan POe'S AirShip
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for the interest they have exhibited in the
progress of aerostation- The project, at
the desire Of Mr.. Osborne, was kept pro-
found secret from the public-the only per-
sons intrusted with the design being those
actually engaged in the construction of the
machine, which was built, under the super
intendence of Mr. Mason, Mr.. Holland,
Sir Eyerard Bringhurst and Mr.. Osborne,
at the seat of the last gentleman, near Pens
truthal, in Wales. Mr.. Henson, accom-
panied by his friend, Mr.. Ainsworth was
admitted to private view Of the balloon,
on Saturday last-when the two gentlemen
made final arrangements to be included
in the adventure. We are not informed
for what reason the two Seamen were
also included in the party-but, in the
course of a day or two, we shall put
our readers in possession of the minut-
est particulars respecting this extraor-
dinary voyage.
The balloon is composed OF silk, var
nished with the liquid gum caoutchouc
1t is OF vast dim mensions, containing more
than 40,000 feet of gas; but as coal gas
was employed in place ofthe more expensive
and inconyenient hydrogen, the supporting
power of the machine, when fully inflated,
and Immediately after initiation, is not
more than about 2,500 pounds. The coal
gas is not only much less costly, but is
easily procured and managed.
For it's introduction into common use for
purposes of aerostation, we are indebted 10
Mr.. Charles Green. Up to his discovery,
the process of initiation was not only ex-
Ceedingly expensive, but uncertain. TWO,
and even three days, have frequently been
wasted in futile attempts to procure SUI
ficiency of hydrogen to fill balloon, from
which 1T had a great tendency To escape,
owingtoits extreme subtlety ,andits affinity
for the surrounding atmosphere. In bal
lon sufficiently perfect to retain is con-
tents of coal gas unalteTed, in quality or
amount, for six months, an equal quantity
Of hydrogen could not be maintained iu
equal purity for six weeks.
The supporting power being estimated
at 2 500 pounds, and the united weights
OF the party amounting to only about
200 pounds, there was left surplus
of 300 of which again 200 was ex-
hausted by ballast, arrangedin bags ofdif-
ferent sizes, with their respective weights
marked ycordaGe, ,barOmeJeTs,
telescopes, barrels containing provisions
pet bags, and various other Indispensable
matters, including a c0ffee-warmer. con-
trived for warming coffee by means Of
slack-lime, so as to dispense altogether
with fire, If ii should be judged prudent To
do so. All these articles, with the eXcep-
tion Of the ballast. and few trifleS, Were
suspended d from the hoop overhead, Thecar
is much smaller and lighter in proper
tiun than the one appended To the model
1t Is formed of light wicker and is Won
derfully strong for 80 frail-looRing ma
chiue. Its rim is about four feet deep
The rudder is also very much larger, ia
proportion, than that of the model, and the
screw is considerably smaller. The bal
loon is furnished, besides, with Crap
mel and a guidc-rope, which latter is OF the
most Indispensable Importance A few
words in explanation viii here be neces-
sary for such of our readers as are not
cunversant with the details of aerostatiun
AS soon us the balloon quits the earth
it is subjected to the influence of many
circumstances tending 10 create diff
ference in its weight. augmenting or
diminishing it's ascending power. For eX-
ample, there may be deposition OF dew
upon the silk, to the extent even of sev-
be thrown out, or the machine may de-
scend. This ballast being discarded and
a clear sunshine evaporating the dew,
and at the same time expanding the gas
in the SILK, the whole Will again rapidly
ascend To check this ascent the only
recourseis Tor, rather, was until Mr.. Green )
invention of the guide-rope) the pernis-
sion of the escape OF gas from the valve;
but, in the loss of gas, is proporuOnate
general loss of ascending power; so that,
in a comparatively brief period, the best
constructed balloon must necessarily ex-
haust all its resources and come to the
earth. This was the great obstacle TO
voyages of length.
The guide-rope remedies the difficulty in
the simplest manner conceivable. 1t is
merely very long rope which is suffered to
trail from the car, the effect of which is to
prevent the balloon from Changingits levelin
any material degree. If, for example. there
should be deposition of moisture upon the
silk, and the machine begins to descend in
consequence, there will be no necessity
for discharging ballast to remedy the in
crease OF weight for il is remedied, or
counteracted, ill an exactly just proper
tlon by the deposit on the ground of just
so much of the end.Of the rope as is nee
essary. If ON the other hand, any cir
cumstances should cause undue levity and
consequent ascent, this levity is imme-
diately counteracted by the additional
weight of rope upraised from the earth.
Thus the balloon can neither ascend nor
descend except within very narrow limits.
and it's resources. either in gas or ballast,
remain comparatively unimpaired When
passing over an eXpanse of water 1t be-
comes necessary to employ small kegs OF
copper or wood filled with liquid ballast
of lighter nature than water. TheseflOat
and serve all the purposes of mere rope
on land. Another most important office OF
the guide-rope is to point out the direction
of the balloon. The rope drags, either On
land or sea, while the balloon is free: the
latter, consequently, is always In advance
when any progress whatever is made. \
comparison, therefore, by means of the
compass of the relative positions Of the
two objects will always indicate the course
In the same way, the angle formed by the
rope with the vertical axis of the machine
indicates the velocity. When there is no
angle other words, when the rope hangs
perpendicuarly the whole apparatus is
stationary: but the larger the angle that
is to say, the farther the balloon precedes
the end of the rope the greater the
velocity, and the converse.
As the original design was to cross the
British Channel and alight as near Paris
as possible, the voyagers had taken the
precaution to prepare themselves with pass
ports directed to all parts of the continent,
specifying the nature of the expedition, as
in the case of the Nassau voyage, and en-
titling the Adventures to exemption from
the usual formalities Of office. UneX-