The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-08-31

Atlantic City. August Ga serious
attempt to fly across She Atlantic
Ocean will be made from this city
within the next few weeks. The pub
lie has hardly realized the serious
ness of this attempt, and the elab-
orateness OF the preparations are a
revelation to all who see them. Walter
Wellman is at the head of the en-
terprise, and has associated with him
Mr.. Nanniman, skilled engineer OF
high repute, and a corps of assistant
engineers and mechanicians.
The balloon is now being inflated
here with hydrogen gas nd this
process has been in progress for near
ly a week. The gas works are at
tached to the hanger and consist OF a
series of cylinders containing sulphuric
acid and iron filings. which. when
brought into contact, produce hydro-
gen gas This is drawn into the bal
loon by its own suction at very per-
ceptible rate. The balloon on sun
day was apparently three-auarters fun
Of gas, and should be fully minated
by the end Of this week.
The balloon rests in a building near
iy 800 feet long by seventy-five feet
IL,
the Atlantic City Hotel keepers. II
lies behind the baseball park at the
inlet The front is near the beach
pointing toward the sea, and consists
of tarpaulin that is easily Detachable
so that when the signal is given the
cigar shaped airship can move 1o!'
ward directly toward the European
coast.
The balloon itself is about go feel
long. and is made Of heavy silk, strons
and durable. A portion of the envelope
was used in Mr. Wellman's expert
nents at Spitzbergen and In ms az,
tempt to fly to the North Pole, put
since then 1T has been heightened ana
carrying weight of 5000 pounds mas
been added
The buoyancy of the balloon is MADE
apparent by the extraordinary etiorts
needed to keep 1t down, although II IS
less than three-quarters Inflated. laaSs
OF sand in clusters of five are sus-
pended by rope from each side or tha
balloon. Already nearly ten tons OF
this ballast are hanging from the
partly filled envelope to restrain y
from rising through the roof. and u
will probably require 10000 pounds
of sand to keep the balloon In the
hanger when it is fully inflated.
When the bag is full it will be held
by heavy chain anchors, as we'll as thH
sand ballast bags. While the car ~
being attached. The car, in tile I'M
scientific language, is made Of drawn
steel, about $50 feet long. 1t will lie
fitted with seven compartments, wide
at the top and narrowing at the bot
tom to gangway OF wood.
a ribbon OF heavy material--wnicr
might be termed a at"-extends
all around the balloon. The car will
be attached to this pleat with heavy
hickory sticks woven into 1t and at
tached to the car by steel drawn wire
Underneath the car is long tank
pointed at each end like a torpedo
about $50 feet long and nearly two
feet in diameter. 1t is made entirely
OF drawn welded steel and will he
filed with gasolene, s
There will be two engines Of so
horse power each, SIMILAR to those
used in motor boats, They will drive
{ four Immense propellers, two Of each
side which resemble the fms of q
nsh. They are made Of wood, ant
have a tremendous thrust that car
spropel the airship at twenty miles ar
hour.
There VIII not be the Same danger
from these propcllers as that from
those of aeroplanes, as they VIII re-
yolve at less than half the ordaafS