Year: 1859

Mr. l. y. CarlInc0urt Lowe, an GrOnaut of six
years practical experience, and mechanician of
uncommon ingenuity, has been for several months
engaged in building and perfecting an Ar-Ship of
unparalleled dimensions, with which he proposes to
undertake the tr ransit of the Atlantic Ocean. This
daring scheme has been for many years the pet am
bition of many aronauts, who have lacked either
the bodness to carry their plans into execution or
have not had the pecuniary means to build the
proper machinery. Mr.. Lowe, being luckily pos
sesSed OF both these requisites, has invested some
S22, 900 in the construction of machine with which
he is confident he make air-voyages of DAYS or
even weeks duration. He planned his machine
and even began his work, some eight months since;
but hearing that his friend, Mr.. John Wise, had in
contemplation the construction of a machine for
the transatlantic trip, Mr.. Lowe laid aside his work
for SIX months Mr.. Wise having, for satisfactory
reasons, given up the project of building his ma
chine, MIR. Lowe resumed work on his invention
and for the past two months the labor of a number
OF persons, numbering at times as many as sixty
has been constantly in requsition, and the machine
Is now in so great state of forwardness that but
two or three weeks more time is required to put it
in working order, ready for the great experiment
The work has been carried on with so much mys-
terry that but few of the many people engaged it
have had any idea to what end so much sewing, and
netting, and vanishing tended. Most of them
imagined that they were working on some sort OF
new-fangled tents, or for some patent sails of
fashion soon to be introduced certain Government
vessels. The scene of operations is about five miles
distant from New York, it being necessary to have
grassy field of considerable extent on which to
varnish and prepare the four five acres of ma
terials. Two tents are erected on the ground, un-
der one OF which is stored the material at night
while the otheris used for the cOmpounding of GER
tain substances of most villainOus smell, which
enter into the composition of the peculiar varnish
with which the material has to be saturated to make
it as-tight. Some eight or ten men were busy
engaged at the time Of our visit, some in laying on
this varnish with large brushes, others in boiling
and mixing the ingredients, and still others in
spreading out the cloth to dry under the rays of
the


To give an idea of the size and general build of
this immense machine, append the following
particulars The Air-Shp is nothing more than
huge balloon, of such giant dimensions, however,
that all balloons previously constructed seem nina
ture IN comparison. The circumference of the gas
holder, or balloon proper, measured around the
long diameter, is 3S7 feet; computed around the
transverse diameter, it is $50 feet. This capacous
globe will contain 900 cubic feet of gas or more
than five times more than the largest balloon
hitherto constructed. 1t is covered with a net to
which is suspended in the usual manner the car for
passengers and ballast still below which depends
the life boat. The netting is knit of faxen cord
about = OF an inch in diameter, which was made
expressly for this purpose, ard which is entirely
free from the stiffness of ordinary twine-being as
soft and flexible silk shoe-string.


At the top of the GLOBE this netting is fastened to
a hempen rope, p inches in diameter, and which
will resist strain of SO tons. 1t is 400 meshes wide
around the middle of the globe-the number di-
mlnlshing, OF course, toward either end. At the
lower side, the cords of the netting are gathered
into the concentrating hoop" stout circle of -
inch wrought iron, to which is fastened the car and
all the weight to be taken up. This netting, with
ropes and hoop, weighs 325 pounds-the length of
cord used in its construction being than Is
miles. The cord will resist strain of 400 pounds,
so that the strength of the net is ample.


The material OF the gas-gobe is double twilled
muslin, of which 5000 yards have been used. The
cloth was three times carefully Overhauled by the
most trustworthy persons, and every flaw or hole,
slight strainng apart of the threads COW
cred with a patch of silk stitched down by hand.
This is, of COURSE to guard against leakage of gas
The cloth was next cut and made into sections
cores, of which the long ones, forming the upper
part of the machine; los feet long, and the lower
ones A feet lOng-and between and connecting
these sections is belt "a feet wide running trans
versely round the middle of the globe For 80 feet
the upper part OF each OF the top sections is double
and for 81 feet there three thicknesses of CLOTH
thus giving at the top of the globe circle of 58
feet diameter of double cloth, and a smaller circle
II feet diameter of triple material The intention
of this is to give the greatest strength at the top of
the machine, where the valve is inserted, and where
the most severe strain will come.


When the cloth had been cut and stitched into
these sections the next operation was to thorough
ly saturate them with the varnish before mention
ed The first coat of varnish increased the weight
of the cloth l,500 pounds; the following ones of
course, add much less to the weight. Four barrels
of varnish were used in putting on the first coat,
but much OF 1T was wasted, owing to the iuexperi
ence of the persons employed in laying it on


The car, which is to contain the passengers and
part of the ballast, is made of strong ratan and
is 20 feet in circumference and feet deep Through
the bottom, Immediately in the centre a hole, IL
feet in diameter, is cut, for the purpose of permit
ting the party t. pass from the car to the boat
which depends 20 feet beow-a substantial ladder
furnishing the means of descent. The car, or bas-
ket, is circular in FORM is entirely surrounded with
canvas and is suspended Is feet below the "con-
centrating hoop" From this hoop a close curtain
comes down and fasten to the edge of the basket
all sides thus converting the car into close
of 20 feet in circumference by Is feet high. Win
dows pierced in the canvas, and glass inserted
SC that .he party will be deprived of opportu-
nifty for observation of the various phenomena of
| the airy regions they may traverse.


| As it is expected to ascend to height where
cold is severe and perpetual, due precaution has
been taken to protect the passengers from discom-
| fort. A stove IA foot high and feet square. in
| which heat is generated by the shaking of lime.
has been provided. This apparatus will serve not
only to keep the party warm, but to heat coffee,
| and perform such operations of minor cookery as
may seem desirable. OF course no fire will be used
about the machine.


| Ihe boat, which hangs twenty feet below the
car, is Francis Metallic Life-boat thirty feet in
length, seven feet BEAM and four ieet in depth
Tins boat is provided to be used in case of such
descent of the machine upon the water as should
/ render 1t necessary to cut away the balloon and
depend entirely upon other means of accomplish
| ing the voyage. This emergency, although thus