Year: 1873

LUWE ON bALLCOElNG.


His Views tho Transatlnntic voy-
aGc-Opinion Of Professor Wise-HOw


To Succeed and How Not to Succeed


Air Navigation i'm Genoral-The Great
est Voyage on Record.
HERALD reporter has had an interview with
Professor T. S. @. Lowe, the great aeronaut, with
the following results:-


REP0RTER-Professor, suppose you are familiar
with the preparations being made for the
| transatlantic balloon voyage2
Professor LowE-Some what; buG my limited
| time has prevented me from investigating the
matter very closely.


| REPoRrER-What do you think OF the ability Of
the aeronauts-Professor Wise in particulars
| Professor LowE-I consider Professor Wise as
theoretical rather than practical. l think he can
sail balloon lch better than he can construct
| one. There are many who are able to navigate the
ocean and yet cannot build ship wherewith to
| do 1T. AS for


| THE OTHER AERONAUT
| l know but little OF him.


REPoRTER-Do you not think their apparatus is
properly constructed and Of the right materials9
| Professor LowE-I know nothing OF it, excepting
from the descriptions l have read. From these
J should suppose that sufficient attention had not
been paid to the securing OF coat impervOus to gas
HeGWoTh, also Cnuk, - cOnSITuCleu o unSult-
able material. AS for the material OF the balloon
proper, that should have been silk, but suppose 1t
would be difficult to Obtain the right quality in the
necessary quantity. In addition to this, it would
have greatly increased the cost. For lew voy-
ages good muslin would be lar preferable to poor
silk.


REPoRrER-Is not this balloon very much like
the you constructed in 1859 for a like vOyagep


Professor LowE-EXcept in material and con-
struction, it is almost exact imitation, although
somewhat smaller.


REpoRTER-DO you consider this balloon too
small?


TOO LARGE A BALLOON.
Professor LowE-NO. On the contrary 1t is far
| too large. With the knowledge I have gained
since that time-by the great experience had in
| the war aDd otherwise-I should not build bal
| loon OF more than 100000 cubic feet capacity,
| exactly One-siXth the capacity OF this. Made
OF silA and properly coated, such a balloon
would float for three or four months, and filed
with pure hydrogen would carry more safety ap-
paratus and possess more boat capacity than
this balloon the originally built for
the same purpose.


REPoRrER-Of course you believe in the theory
OF the eastern current and that balloon can float
across .he Atlantic


Professor LowE-Yes, my experience between
II
that at all seasons the upper currents move to-
wards the east, varying from southeast to north
east, according 10 the of the year. and with
the proper machinery there would be no difficulty
in landing on the other side somewhere; but
you could never calculate your landing
place within 1000 miles OF any particular
point. You must bear in mind that
my object in balloon voyages the ocean was
not TO establish system of travel in that man
ner, but to convey news across rapidly, and then
use the land telegraph for the purchase or sale OF
stocks and goods several days in advance OF the
regular steamers. Spectators would have paid
large sums ior such service. Cyrus w. Field how
ever, spoiled my lun in this direction by success
ring more lasting blessing upon humanity than
could ever have done with millions OF balloons.
REPoKrER-Do you not think that balloons will
come into general use for TRANSATLANTIC voyages,
| in case Mr.. Wise is successfulY
| Professor LowE-Not bit OF it. Aerial voyages
| will never come into general use, except for the
| purposes OF making observations In peace ana
war, and in getting out OF tight place In case OF a
They will be used ior pleasure excursions and oc-
casionally for sensations, like that OF wises.
REPoRTER--Wnat do you think OF the dangers
attending the voyage generallyp


Professor LowEG consider the danger much


less than most people. lfthe aeronauts appreciate
the power which the wind Will have upon such an
immense surface and provide cables OF sufficient
strength attached to anchors and water drags,
In order to stop the balloon before coming on to
the earth. or II, coming down upon the water, they
can stop the balloon with the boat head TO the
sea, and detacning it instantly before 1t surges
and sways about too much, then, should say
there was but a small amount OF danger.
REPoRTER-Do you think the benefits which will
accrue to science and otherwise will compensate
Tor the risk OF life In the enterprise?
LOVES PHILOSOPHY.


Professor LOwE-ies as l said before, ii sets
the world to thinking and discussing the subject
OF science. think every man should be willing to
value lor It, and suppose the aeronauts go with
the feeling that they have received full value iOr
their lives in case OF wreck or disaster


REPORrER-You mention possible wreck. Would
It be possible to launch the boat on touching the
waterY


Professor LowE-Certainly. nothing more simple
or easy: There must be but one connection to be
severed, and that must be cut instantly on touch


LOVES "REMINISCENCES.


REPoRTER-Wnl not the balloon, coming down
from great height, descend with fearful velocity
balloon can be regulated with exact precision, and
the coming down be as gradual as wished
REPoRrER-ln case an accident should happen,
such as The bursting OF the balloonY
Professor LowE-There Is still no danger. The
moment mo, the canvas has severed it falls down
and forms parachute. ] once saw an exploded
balloon sail for fifteen miles and effect sale land
ing. In The army, remember once similar acci-
uent happened TO Fitz-John Porter who made an


ascension, and, becoming alarmed, held ON to the


yaiye-rope until every particle OF gas was ex-


chute, which bore him safely to the earth.


u rsla hEfSRrEsnMhat pi amount OF ballast should


Professor LowE-One similar to wise,s ought not


10 ascend win less than fve tons ballast.
| great baiioonS


| INDUSTRIOUS.
| Professor LowE-My monster balloon. the Citv of
| New York, had capacity OF over 725 600 eet and


was capable OF raising 22k tons, the gas employed
alone weighing over 2A tons. It's envelope
| power OF resistance, when new, was 100 tons
| This monster was designed to cross the ocean by
| the eastern current, and was to have been en-
| poyed in the manner have spoken Of The
reason for constructing balloon OF such size was
the necessity OF obtaining great capacity In rea
was not Sufficient to render the envelope imper-
vious to the desired degree. On account Of
its immense size many whom i could name
predicted that IL could not rise from
the earth IL was not possible to innate II by the