Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-01-10
GERMAN ARMY MAN
TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT
ACROSS OCEAN
Large Spherical Balloon to Be
Used; United States Start
ing Point; No Danger in the
Journey Says Aeronaut.

Paris Jan. 1O.--Iloutenant Hans
Gcrlckc OF the German army Who
won the Gordon Bennett balloon cup
race from Kansas city last fail. * IN
Paris, making preparations Tor his
attempt 20 cross the Atlantic IN q
spherical balloon.
Lieutenant Gericke has spent most
of the time Ia the last fourteen
months In study of meteorological
conditions. Ho expects Co start on
the projected voyage IN the winter,
because there viii De- less chance
then of oncountorlng protractod
calm.
"Omcial reports" the aeronaut
said "most Of them issued by tho
United states secretary OF agriculture,
show that Ia summer there g. per-
c,ntagc of 1--WE or six calm days
when the wind o. blowing not more
than nve yards whereas.
I'm winter. the proportion Of suck days
is only one per cent. Even Is wind of
seven yards second would be- of lit
tie use to mo on the ocean crossing,
So the necessity Of selecting the wind
lest season Is apparent
II shalt start from the United
states. The prevailing Atlantic ocean
winds or air currents move from
west to east, ns q natural consequence
~ the carth's rotary movement in
the opposite direction. 4 persistent
wind blowing from Europe 10 Amer
lea is never encountered.
Ia -Four Days. lie says.
Lieutenant Goricke expects 90 cross
from continent e. continent IN four
days Of he has the luck to strike a
good wind. For reasons of scientific
interest he will start from "a point
Some distance in the interior Me-
tcoroloRists. then De able To- pre-
dict with certainty the cXact spot
whore he viii leave the American
shores
II feel no doubt whatever of the
success of my project and ann con-
hdont that very little danger attaches
10 iis execution" Lieutenant Gcricke
said THE worst that can bcfall me
IS long period of calm, and such "a
period as would place mD IN peril has
never been reported. At only one
portion of the journey Do I think e.
desirable that ships should keep "a
watch for me ana my balloon. This
Authenticated observations go no
further northward thar this II is
just possible that might bo clown
toward the Arctic circle and miss my
landing. but do not consider that
lookout ships viii bc Indispensable
even at that stage of the trim. Ac-
cording To- ms calculations shall
land iu either England COP France.
May Descend Into sea.
I'm ans case / shalt not ict myself
b, carried further north than Ice
land once arrived I'm those attitudes
7 shall descend into the sea if do not
strike land"
Lieutenant Gerickc's record break
ing effort viii be- made In balloon
of the ordinary type. though larger
than nny yet constructed II prob
ably win have capacity of ten thous-
ana cubic motors The acrunaut wilf
have a special basket arrangement I'm
view of possible descent IN thl
ocean. and hc believes That with this
installation no harm can come To him
II his basket is dragged In the sra.
The acronaut will be accompanied
by tive passengers. Herr Kocnigs and
an American. The pilot viii take
provisions sufficient for three or four
weeks, with firearms and stock OF
fur and other warm clothing The
provisions VIII include tubes Of self
heating soups made especially for
hulloonists. and cann, y meats and
vegetables. The voyage viii be under
taken IN November or December OF
next year