THE MUSEUM. 



303. 



This will be done in connection with 

 systematic studies of the upper atmo- 

 sphere, which region has heretofore 

 been explored by scientists only with 

 the aid of captive balloons carrying 

 thermometers, barometers, etc. But 

 balloons are found to be most imprac- 

 ticable for such purposes, since the 

 wind blowing against them keeps up 

 an almost constant virbation, while its 

 force against their envelopes causes 

 great leakage of gas, and hence makes 

 a flight of many hours impossible. 



The kite experiments to begin this 

 summer will be conducted by Prof. 

 Adie, the same meteorologist who is 

 making extensive photographic studies 

 of lightning flashes. The investiga- 

 tion of the upper atmosphere will be 

 made first, with a view of ascertaining 

 the differences of temperature for var- 

 ious altitudes in free air. Other ex- 

 periments, by aid of the kites, will fol- 

 low these, all of which are expected to 

 enable the bureau's meteorologists to 

 make a great profile map of the atmo- 

 sphere, which task has never yet been 

 accomplished. Temperature and bar- 

 ometic curves, electric currents, etc., 

 will be located for various parts of the 

 country and for different seasons of 

 the year. 



Such data will be as necessary to 

 the engineers of flying machines, when 

 practically perfected, as charts are to 

 sailors. Balloning can be then car- 

 ried on with much less risk than at 

 present, since it will be an easy mat- 

 ter to determine what currents of air 

 are likely to be met at various heights, 

 just as it is now a small task to find 

 the Gulf Stream or the trade winds. 

 A still greater service will be rendered 

 by this information to scientists, who 



now believe that men will be able to- 

 soar like birds as soon as the upper 

 air currents are definitely undersood. 

 Kites will be flown to different 

 heights in hot waves during electric, 

 wind, or rain storms, in cold waves- 

 during snow or hail storms, and in fact 

 during every possible phase of weather. 

 It is now the purpose of the experi- 

 menters to construct this summer a 

 giant kite, which will revolutionize the 

 whole science of kite-flying. This will 

 be no less than a combination kite bal- 

 loon. The length and width are not 

 yet determined but in form it will be a 

 large, flat box, about a foot in thick- 

 ness, the light frame being covered 

 with gold beaters' skin. It will be in- 

 flated with hydrogen gas, which would 

 give to a kite of the dimensions of the 

 present design and a foot thick a lift- 

 ing force of three pounds. This would 

 be sufficient to take the kite up, not- 

 withstanding the general buoyancy of- 

 fered by the wind currents. — Wash- 

 in o-t on Star. 



A Northern Scientific Expedition- 



The steamer Portia sailed from- 

 Brooklyn, June 22, carrying an expe- 

 dition under Emil Diebitsch which, 

 will proceed to Lieut. Peary's head- 

 quarters in North Greenland and will- 

 bring him and his small party of ex- 

 plorers home. The relief party is 

 composed of Prof. Rollin D. Salsbury, 

 of Chicago University, Theodore Le- 

 Boutillier, of Philadelphia, John E. 

 'Walsh, of Washington, and Prof. L. 

 L. Dyche, of the Kansas State Uni- 

 versity. — Scientific American. 



