Year: 1873

the CapitO!ine Grounds, Brooklyn, on an aerial


voyage to Europe. II Is to be supposed this


ture mas been cautiously and carefully considered,


and that it Is no mere fash seDsaton, such as is
introduced into the amusing devices OF q Fourth
OF July celebration or into the extra
attractions OF travelling circus. have
heard it loudly proclaimed that this enter
prise Is directed mainly In the interest OF
science, that it is voyage OF discovery from which
1t is sanguinely predicted, shall learn by actual
demonstrations the existence at a certain altitude
above the earth OF an atmospheric current setting
steadily towards the east and encrcng the entire
globe. This fact realized, it is argued that a
superior order OF ocomotlOn will be established


and that any point of the earth's surface can be
reached by following the encirclng current forever
eastward. 1t Is not my purpose to dispute the ex-
istence of this easterly current All the data We


have to guide us concerning the movements OF the


upper currents OF air are, to say the least, only


plausible. What desire to call your attention to


Is the means by which this grand scientific"


triumph is to be achieved and by which it is to be


demonstrated that aerial communication between


the Old and New Worlds is safe and feasible.


Professor Wise has made the project OF a voyage


to Europe by balloon, and through the aid of this
much talked of easterly current, the dream of his


existence. The results accomplished by the daring
discoverers Of the past, who, despite the rticule
and incredulity OF the times in which they lived,


held on to their purpose aDd won victory in the
end warns not to treat this enterprise with
laughing Indifference, We live in an age of start


ling sensations, and the poets dream
OF "the nations airy navies graphing
in the central blue" may vet prove


to be no mere chimera of the brain. Aerial COM
munication between the continents is likely to be


the next grand achievement of human science


w IA IG tha hot p.yarf, ,L,,po
OF Professor Wise's will solve the problem At


the utmost, we ous int to expect no more success
than that OF his finding the easterly current of
which he Is so sanguine. We cannot in first eX-
pertinent hope that he will And exactly where he
might desire. Should he land anywhere
beyond the Atlantic he would still have
Won notable triumph. Is the means for this
voyage adequate to its aim and to its responsible
ties ? Is Professor Wise, when he ascends next
Wednesday evening" going, with open eyes and
consciousness to certain death or is he to feel
within himself an assurance that all which human
foresight could devise has been done to render his
perious project within the limits Of possible safety
and realization ? Is this, in other words, to be
nothing more than affair beginning in noisy
and mercenary sensation and ending in
sorrowlul tragedy l have my misgiv-
ings To-day, in the Capitoline grounds OF
Brooklyn saw the great flOundering bag which Is
80 shortly to bear away among the clouds freight
Of human lives. 1t was partly filed with air, and
couple OF men were examining the inflated sur
face to detect flaws or holes in the canvas through
which the gas might be apt to escape. As was
looking on, one of these inspectors was en-
gagged darning small 1ssure and as he


seemed to alight upon 1t casually, 1t is


possible he might discover another OF a like char.
acter In the course OF his examination One such
should be sufficient to cause serious and not un-
reasonable alarm. On nearer approach found


that the material OF this balloon composed of
unbeached cotton muslin, and that it had beeu
vanished with nseed oil tried with ben
zine. Several coats of this varnsh had
evidently been applied, and the weight and
consistency OF the material resembed canvas
Cotton absOrbs oil like sponge and unlike silk
needs to be excessively vanished before becoming
impervious to the escape OF gas. l am fairly
within the estimate when say that this canvas
balloon four times the weight of one constructed
of silk. Consequently you lose threeourths of the
ascensive power that one made of silk would pos.
sess. find urther that carburetted hydrogen gas
the common gas OF the Streets will be used for in


nation IN place Of pure hydrogen. You have here then
an unnecessary and excessive weight in the ma
teria OF the balloon itself, and you have next the
minimum OF ascensive power Tor its imitation.
Cotton saturated and dried in Oil oftentlmes leads
under certain atmospheric conditions, to spon
taneOus combustion, which is common source Of
fires Will this balloon be safe from combustion In
passing through certain atmospheric conditions
where the electricity of the clouds Is to be con-
sidered.


Now why in the name OF Providence, In an un-
dertaking OF this kind, with high purpose in
view as the elucidation OF perplexng problem In
aria science and Grial navigation, was there not
q silk in place OF an 6il-soaked cotton balloon pro-
vided' find that silk balloon and everything
necessary for the voyage could have been provided
ut an expense OF $4,000, or several thousands |
less than 1t is announced this cheap sensation |
cost, which Is lying in the Capitoline grounds.
When Professor Wise, with a chivarous tsomc !
people would call it foolhardy) courage, signed the
agreement by which he bound himself to under |
take this voyage and carry out the avowed pur-
pose of lifetime, it not with the understand.
ing that his mission and his Lille should be wan
tonly mperillcd II ho did not stpulate for silk
balloon he had every reason to suppose that those
who made themselves ror their own nteresu con.
spicuous champions of his design, would look q
step further than the mere attainment OF money |
and notoriety. In the course Of my inspection Of |
the balloon | met with Mr.. Donaldson, one Of the |
two aerOnauts. He is young man to whom this |
a1air is the most agreeable pastime Science and |
civilization are OF little moment to this daring
gymnast II he is successful in having his name
conspicuous for twenty-iour hours in the |
newspapers his highest ambition will be /
abundantly gratihed To him it will be |
all the same whether the current blows east or |
west In fact, he expresses the wish that the cur
rent may carry them In westerly direction that !
he may he seen OF all men from here to Cincinnati
Then he has no objection If it be reversed and
carry him to London, where he hopes to be
properly appreciated. However this little mark
of vanity, there is no gainsaylng his
gay and careless courage. Mr.. Donaldson
said TO me. IN answer to the question
ii he thought the balloon was made OF the proper
material, and cost as much as was mentioned:


"a silk balloon and all the rest could have been
had for less than $4,000. This AFFAIR pointing to
the noundering bag inside the rope fence) cost
only about $4,000 including everything


.tRnt sail / ..tna advertisements annnnnnn,