Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-22

tabiy have been carried by the wind to-
ward the Arctic ocean
The stabilisateurs. like the deviators. are
the invention OF NJ. Herve. Vertical sta
piIity is the life OF a balloon: continual
mounting and descending means continual
loss OF gas and ballast. The stabntsatrurs
are heavy flexible cables. Their chief char
aGteristc Is their high degree Of tautneSs,
which comes from their weight I'm rpIa-
ton to the meter of distance TO DO ,,,sss,
over, and also their slight resistance 1, m,
forward movement. Such an apparatus a,-
cording to its greater or less iumersin, in
the sea, ballasts or unballasts the balloon
whose basket thus Is kept from cont. 4
with the waves. floating above them al ,hs
same distance In spite OF gusts ON tho
other hand, the great power II tho ,r,,a-
ratus permits the balloonist when hs
wishes, To correct. by automatic variation
OF the cables immersion all vertical uubal-
ancing
How the DeNiators Work.
The deviators are Instruments for par
TALLY directing the course of the balloon.
The Herve deviator Is formed by series
or parallel concave plates. fixed two by
two by rigid steel plates in such a way that
the whole series can be bent by a simple
movement. The deviator is connected with
the balloon by two steerage cords As long
as these two cords are of the same length
there Is no change I'm the direction and the
apparatus is Ike a strong floating anchor
but II one OF the cords Is shortened the
Plates or the deviator turn ohliquely and
the whole series rapidly changes position
ana lows the balloon to right or left This
latter apparatus permits a change Of d.
rectlon 10 any point situated under the
WIND within 60 OF 40 degrees to right or left
OF the balloons direction at the moment
IL Is. after all, not much different from a
ships steering gear applied to balloon
that hangs over the water. Like the sta.
bhisateur, 1t presupposes that the balloon
snail not soar into the higher sky but
noat comparatively close to the surface OF
the sea. This is another novelty OF the new
ballooning. whose ideal 1t is to gp on a
level along great stretches OF distance
without loss Of gas or ballast. There is
always time to dart into the upper air
when occasion requires T.
The usual French military balloons such
as those now with the Pekin corps under
the command of Capt. Lindecker are of
between GOO and 300 cubic meters capacity
capable of carrying one or two men. Louis
Goddard. being the foremost balloon maker
of France, ought to know his subject Tho
balloon in which he will attempt to cross
the Atlantic is calculated to carry ten per-
sons at need and to remain I'm the air forty
days. Balloons Of too great cubic capacity
that is to say. OF more than 4.oop cubic
meters. that is, > 300 cubic yards seem DIM
cult If not impossible to maneuver. This
has been demonstrated by the voyage (
the "Geant." and the deceptive asccnsiui
Of the monster German balloon helongiug d
VI. Berson and attached 10 the mctcorolu--
ical observatory Of Berlin. not 10 speak <
the Inflated Andree expedition.
Dangers Confronting Goddard.
The DE Ia NaulX expedition. floating plr
the Mediterranean. may count on being
rescued in case Of emergency. But what rt
thu dangers that threaten the unmanIE.-
able monster in which ". Goddard prom ).
20 cross the Atlantic? / have jusl be
talking to an expert Of these matters.
can. he said. lis ::,-2-15 kilpmci,rS tahu.t
2.vlo miles. between Valencia. Spain, aud
Jaifa, near Jerusalem. Should u" la \sslN :
balloon happen to fall TO tho surface ia The
middle of the sea its passengers would only
have 10 wait for the aid that must come.
with mathematical certainty. after a short.
longer time. The Mediterranean is
populous and their basket is furnished
with floaters is waterproof and built to sit
upright In the water. The only real dam
ger is that of a tempest or being struck
by lightning.
The project of NJ De la Vaulx," ne con-
tinued. lis not foolhardy. The crossing
will depend on the winds, but it can cerS
tainly be made. 1t would be more difficult
to predict a successful trip for Louis God
dard. The question of the crossing OF the
Atlantic is vast and complex.
The two Atlantics, north and south. like
all the rest of the earth. are divided into
parallel meteorological zones, which oscil-
late little from south to north and in
Versely, following the movement of the
suns declination. The center. or torrid,
zone, near the equator, is that Of calms
and equatorial tempests. No ballooniSt
would tempt its dangerous stretches, as
dangerous in calm in storm. The next,
in the North Atlantic, is the tropical zone,
that of the trade winds. 1t is well
known, but its general air current. though
SO regular would have the danger for the
ballOonist OF conducting him too regularly
into the bad preceding zone. Next comes
our own zone. the temperate. 1t is this
through which VI. Goddard will try to pass
seeking to start off on north branch IF
the trajectory OF depression But If you
consult the pilots charts published month";
ly by the American government You viii
observe that many Of the northern branches
of these depressons trend up To the glacial
regions between Greenland and the Scan
dnaviau peninsula.
The soitudes of the ocean. always i'm
mense, have increased since the disappear
ance Of sailing vessels, which Were obliged
to follow varied routes. complicated and
heightened by the probable winds which
they had to study. Today the great At
lantic liners follow narrow ocean lanes
outside of which is blank solitude. \ finat -
ing balloon basket might float without he
Ing seen for months. should 1t happen -
fall outside the lanes
1T is true that NJ. Goddard has the in
tention of carrying a little petroleum
launch; but could he even manage to float
il in case he came down rapidly in an ac-
cident?'
Still, NJ Goddard says he will try.
STERLING HELLO.