Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-27
ELECTRIC BALLOONS.
COMMUNICATION BETWEEN POLAR
vOYAGERs AND OUTSIDE WORLD.
DOTS AND DASHES OF FIRE.
Incandescent Lights Can he Raised
TO the Clouds by This Invention,
Touch on Keyboard.

icebergs, and darkness he will go, not as
did Andree, without the means Of signal
ling for aid should disaster overtake him
and shut him off from communication
with the warmer world. Once more
science has been equal to the demand for
some device that will remedy faulty
condition. To the popular cry for a
means of signalling that will make posi-
| BILE communication between the ship in
which an exploring party makes its
| headquarters when icebound In the Arc
tic, and the members Of a rescuing
expedition or a hunting camp that has
| lost its bearings or seeks assistance from
the main body. science responds with an
aerial fashlight.
The new signalling apparatus Is the in
ventlon of Eric S. Bruce, the well-known
electrician. He has given twelve years
of his life to perfecting his invention.
The problem that faced him on the outset
was, how to raise in the air, high above
the tallest ice peak, SO high that it can
| be seen for miles around, so big and I'M
mistakable that its message can be read
off in a moment naming torch that will
rINNA 'iOAti a NioiclHNC anu DillB ntip W
the needy, or, il too late for help, notify
the anxious ones that all Is over, and
so prevent a recurrence of the pain
caused by former tragedies, where the
hope deferred that mabeth the heart sick
has been ended Only With the news shat
there had been no reason for hoping.
Balloons were the objects that Mr..
Bruce decided to utilize. A fiery balloon. ne
concluded, would be the best method of
signalling at night. His plans progressed
until, at the end Of twelve years, after
many disappointments he has just come
forth from his workshop with the COM
pleted apparatus-too late for it to be of
use to the intrepid Andree, but in time
for the man who will go into the icy
North in search of the lost explorer.
Bruce's balloon is a bag Of gold teater's
skin, seven feet in diameter It can be
inflated in a few minutes. either by pure
hydrogen or by gas, at the option Of the
one who uses IL. When ready for its
journey upward, the balloon is attached
TO a cable OF electric wire and released,
to soar aloft as high as the wire allows
1T. The inventor calculates that thou
sand feet will be the maximum height to
which II will be necessary to send up the
fiery signal. This electric wire, besides
providing a means of communication be-
tween the ship and the balloon, will hold
the big bag captive. The electric cable
joins the balloon at the base Of the gas
bag. whore it is attached to a wire that
communicates with a number of incan-
descent electric lamps that form a ring
around the balloon When the big gas
filled messenger has mounted to the
clouds, between the ship and the world
outside the blanket of darkness there is
way of talking by flashing fire that
will penetrate to an immense distance,
and, with the aid of an international
code OF signals that Mr.. Bruce is work.
ing out. will make it possible for ships |
hundreds Of miles apart to communicate. |
In the presence OF many OF the leading |
scientific celebrities OF this country, and |
with the Prince Of Wales as an interested |
spectator, Mr.. Bruce. a few days ago |
demonstrated the utility Of his invention,
and proved all his claims for it to be
well founded In a dark and lonely part
OF the forest-grown suburb, known as
Hadleyi Woods, Mr.. Bruce sent up his
balloon, and when it had reached a height |
at which it's light commanded the entire |
surrounding, the inventor pro-
ceeded to flash message after message,
by means of a keyboard on which touch
meantime flashing or darkening Of the
glowing lights in the balloon. With the
aid OF the cookbook that Mr.. Bruce had
provided for the occasion, the scientists
who had gathered at various points about
twenty miles distant, were able to spell
out the messages as they were rapidly
delivered
"Ship drifting west" came from the
fiery messenger in the clouds; 1--WE are
came next; "Out of provisions.
send us food and water" was then read.
in rapid succession came the
messages: "Ice-bound and helpless, but
so far safe; 1--WE can hold out but two
days longer; "When will help reach us?'
To the quick touch Of Mr.. Bruce's
practiced fingers the ready lights five
hundred feet above answered instantly.
It was all done as quickly as electric
and could be read as easily.
Ten different parties We're gathered at
ten different points far removed from
each other but none had any difficulty in
the messages. The balloon could
be seen with a telescope, at q distance
Of fifty miles, and it's messages read just
as easily as at twenty feet away It's
superiority over the rocket system of
signalling was as plain as the difference
between daylight and darkness. Instead
Of fiery stick rising to a height, re-
poised for a fraction of a second
and then descending, or throwing out
fiery bali that died In the darkness n few
moments later, here was a stationary
1ashlight, floating higher than the high
est rocket ever shot, obeying the will OF
4 human hand on the earth beneath. able
20 stay up as long as the gas held out
Ind capable, If necessity required. of
flashing a call for help that would con-
Linue to flash for days and nights: a sun
% shine during the long darkness Of the
Arctic months when daylight is unknown
ind anything caught in the cruel grip
# the Arctic winter must perforce stay
here until the daylight begins again and
brings with it possible succor.-
A touch OF the keyboard did Il all.
rhe system was simple. The lights fash
d up quickly and died away as the key
BOARD operator desired. Dots were made
With a touch, dashes with a long pres
ure. Dots and dashes comprised the
nipple language of the electric balloon.
rhe number Of words that can be used is.
therefore,. almost without limit and it re-
luires no expert knowledge Of the art Of
alking by the dot and dash system to
10 able TO read the messages readily.
The cookbook makes all that easy.
The balloon takes up scarcely any
pace in ships store and is so invaluable .
n accessory OF Arctic exploration | .
hat no expedition will hereafter start
Without an abundant supply OF the cleo
rio messengers. Their invention means
he dawn OF a new era in the search for q,
he Pole The one great problem OF how
o keep I'm touch with the outside world
ghen punging into the perflous unknown ,
egion around the Pole seems in a fair
Gay to be solved with the invention OF the
lectric balloon signal