Year: 1859

tain itself in mid-ar for hundred DAYS if necessary


In the boat is fixed an apparatus invented by Mr.
Lowe, and designed to make the machine rise Or
lower at will, without the expenditure of ballast To
accomplish the one or gas to compass the other eff
feet. The apparatus consists of propeller on the
principle OF the screw which is fixed in the bow of
the lifeboat at an angle of 45o. Twenty fans rad
late from wheel at the extremity of this project
ing shaft each fan being five feet in length and
widening gradually from the point of contact with
the shaft to the extremity of the fan where it is
one and half feet wide. By setting this series of
fans in motion, Mr.. Lowe claims that he can exert
an elevatng or depressing power equal to 800
pounds on the machine. The wheel is to be worked
by an Ericsson Caloric Engine which is placed in
the middle OF the boat, and which is so geared that
the fan-wheel can be made to execute its revoin
tions with great rapidty.


Mr. Lowe thinks that this wheel will also obviate
the tendency of the machine to rotate for all hal
looms have regular rotary motion,) and keep it
fore and aft. If these mechanical appliances worl
with the hoped-for certainty, it will be very easv
so to manage the ar-ship by raising or lowering rs
to keep it constantly in the favoring currents
When it is considered that balloon is so delicate
" poised In the air that loss of or pounds of
ballast could have the effect of causing this i'm
mense balloon of l30 feet in diameter to rise from
the surface to the height of two or three miles it
may be easily seen of what immense value is an an
paratus by which can be instantly exerted an eIe-
of ballast. F'""U'


If Mr.. loves invention be found to answer tbis
end, he will have done more to utilize ballonnino
than all the experimenters of the last fifty years
ohe OF the greatest obstacles to practical aerial
navigation has been the impossibility of CARVING
sufficient supply of gas and ballast to regulate the
elevation OF the balloon for longer period than a
few hours, both the gas and the ballast being soon
expended, and the aeronaut compelled to descend.
ANY apparatus, therefore, which will render the
regulation of the ascents and descents feasible with
out the expenditure of ballast and gas will remove
the greatest difficulty in the way of long aerial
voyages.


The engine to work the fan is of four-horse now
err and its connections are so arranged that shouId
III become necessary to take to the water il can be
used to turn padde-wheels, which are affixed to the


Ite-boat after the manner of ordinary steamboats,
The boat is also fitted with mast and sails with
provisions, water, nautical Instruments and fuel
for the engine, all of which are packed in water
tight cases, and securely fastened to the boat
so that in case of an unlucky capsize they would
not be lost


There is also an India-rubber foldinr Iifeboat op
board the air-ship, to be employed in anv emer
gency which may arise rendering it useful


From the stern of the boat projects a propeller,
similar to the one in the bow, though of much
smaller dimensions, being only four feet in diane
ter which is to assist in keeping the craft straight
and In counteracting the rotary notion


Mr. Lowe has also devised another expedent for
managing his machine at low elevations without
expending his ascending power or his ballast. He
mas provided two large copper buOys the weight of
lO0 pounds and 200 pounds respectively. These
are to be filled with condensed gas which can be
projected into the globe bv means of a forco-numn
10 compensate tor any loss of gas by leakage This
torcepump has, however, double action, and an
swers as well to pump gas from the globe into the
condensers as to force it from the cOndensers into
the globe. The practical value of this arrange
ment VIII be obvious when it is explained that the
gas which is forced into the globe from the conden
sers Immediately expanding, adds so much to the
ascending power, while if the balloon is ATTAINING
too great hight, and it is desired to descend the
al nf1 r,pfo


the globe reduces the ascending power and the
same gas which expanded in the globe, served as
an elevatlng force, when compressed into the CON
densers, acts as ballast, and the machine descends
This is very beautiful in theory but it vet remains
for Slr. Lowe to determine by actual experiment
whether the practical working will be equally ad-
mirable.


But there is still another use to which it is pro-
posed to put these copper condensers They are
buoyant and will float upon the water and they are
to be attached to thousand feet of rope or more
that they may be thrown overheard and towed after
the ship, when sailing water if thought desr-
able. For instance, if the effect of night dews or
OF rains upon the balloon should cause it to descend
near to the serface of the water one of the buovs
attached to its rope could be thrown over-the bal
loon, being lightened of 100 pounds weight would
OF course instantly rise until the full length of the
rope was taut when, being unable to raise the
buoy, she would sail along near the surface of the
water, the buoy being towed after Then, when
the rays of the morning should dry the ma
chime, and the balloon should recover its wonted
buoyapcy, it would again be sufficiently buovant to
rise, bearing with it the buoy, which would be
hauled on board again.


1t is thought that in the case of favoring local
currents, this kind of rthesurface aerostation
NAV be practiced with success Another invention
of Mr. Lowe is what he calls "soundinU line "
which Is line a mile long, or even longer with
weight at the end, and with light ribbons or flags
mXed at short distances along its whole length.
rms Is to be depended from the car when by care
fully observing with a telescope the huttering of
the flags, the direction of the surface of
AR may be exactly ascertained, and they NAV be
sought or avoided as they favorng or other
wise. Mr.. Lowe has also contriyed sort of ocean
anchor, by which ne arrest the progress of the
ship at any point when sailing over the water
Instead of the small graphing irons used by aero
nauts generally, the new air-ship, which is to be
called 'The City Of New York" will be provided
with regular anchor weighing 100 pounds and
fashioned like ships anchor. Beside this, two or
three sets of graphing irons will also be on
board to be used when the larger anchor is not
necessary.


The rope for the large anchor is four inches in
circumference, and 100 feet long. There will also
be on board half mile of rope of different sizes
varying from inch to 3 inches in circumference
to be used for the buoys and for such extraordinary
uses as cannot here be specified Beside these ropes
ample store of small cords and twine will be taken
with various tools which will be useful possibly as
TOOLS certainly as ballast. The boat will carry two
barrels OF alcohol, else an ADEQUATE supnly of
COAL to serve as fuel for the Ericsson engine Faps
of every European nation will be carried and
every individual of the crew will be provided with
passports to every nation in Europe. A discon-
Meeting apparatus, for the purpose of instantly de-
taching the boat from the balloon is provided in
view OF an emergency requiring such a course of
action.


Among the articles to be carried on the cxperi-
mental trip are 100 small parachutes. for sending
down letters and papers to towns or to passing yes
sels 100 lndiarubber mail bags for keeping letters
and packages dry; mercurial barometer; / anerod
barometer; marine cOmpasses, and Il number of
ordinary cOmpasses; number of thermometers and
telescopes; several carrier-doves to be sent out
with accounts OF the voyage long as practicable;
water-tight casks and cases for water and pro-
visions for six months consumption.


The immense surplus of provisions is taken to
provide against any inconvenience in case of the
machine being wrecked on an uninhabted spot, or
to be given away to any vessel in distress should
such case occur. Provisions are as good ballast
as anything else, and Mr.. Lowe has abundant
means at his disposal, he deems it no more than
common prudence to ballast his machine with ma
terial that may possibly be useful otherwise than as
mere ballast. One hundred best Roman candles
will also be taken, to be used as signals in the
event OF being cast away on any shore where
vessels arc notilely to stop without being specially
sgnaled.


One hundred copies of each daily and illustrated
newspaper of the city will also be taken. Each in
dividua of the crew will be provided with an India
rubber life preserving dress, to be of use in ex-
tfeme cold, in the event of experimenting in the
water. The crew will consist OF eight persons,
follows: The aeronaut four scientific sea navgatOrs,
two scientific landsmen, and the historian. n pas
sengers will be taken at any price, although the
applications are already Uumerous-several gentle
men offering large sums for the privilege of pas
sage in the first aerial ship to undertake the passage
of the Atlantic


The entire weight of the balloon and appurte-
nances is 81 tons; its lifting capacity will be about
221% tons. To initiate the balloon with ordinary
coal gas to its full capacity would involve an ex-
pense of 81 $780, but twill be filled only little
more than half full, the cost of imitation will not
exceed 81 900.


Thus, it will be seen that every precaution has
been taken to guard against perils, both those
which have been encountered by previous aero
nauts, and those which are only dimly apprehend-
ed. Mr.. Lowe expresses his perfect confidence that
the trip will be successful, and that the voyage of
the getty of New York; will be attended with less
peril than is encountered by ordinary passenger
steamers. The whole apparatus will be completed
in few days, and will be ready to start as soon as
the weather shall have become settled after the
equinoctial storm. Mr.. Lowe expects to make the
trip from this city to England in As, at the most,
IN 81 hours. He proposes to land in England or
France, to accomplish which his course must be
north Of east, due easterly course would land
him in Spain, a country where he has no acqaint-
ance.


Whether the trip be entirely successful or not, |
certain it is that every precaution has been taken
to guard aganft unpleasant contingencies and to
secure prosperous voyage. Mr.. Carlincourt Lowe
IS an aeronaut of experience, and his former sue
cessful experiments, with his scientific knowledge
of aerestatics, lead to the belief that the trans
atlantic balloon enterprise could not be in better
hands.


THE DEPARTURE OF GEN. SCOTT.


From tie ". T. Herold)