BALLOONING, MODKKN. 



75 



me-h. "ii tho side of the tab. When the other 

 I'M. in \\liicli we started has Ix-en reached 

 u e make the last mesh on the side by includ- 



THE LARGE CAR. 



ing a cord that was left hanging at the beginning 

 of the tab. Thus knitting right and left, adding 

 the half-mesh on one side and the loose cord on 

 the other, we at last complete the tab by gath- 

 ering and tying the lower meshes together. 

 Ropes of manilla hemp serve for the attach- 

 ments to the concentrating ring. The top of 

 the net is finished by cutting away the loops on 

 which the first round was made, and then knit- 

 ting with a double cord to the one hundred 

 meshes, taking up two meshes at a time. A 

 circle formed by passing a small rope through 

 the last meshes completes the work. The net 

 and cords, when stretched at full length, should 

 be two or three feet longer than the balloon. 



The Concentrating Ring. This may be of 

 wood or metal. A large mast-hoop, smoothly 

 d ivs-rd down, answers the purpose very well. 

 It should be strong enough to resist any strain 

 tint may be brought to bear upon it. Two 

 loops of manilla rope have their ends spliced to 

 the hoop at equal distances apart, and hang 

 down a foot or more. To these loops the 

 anchor rope and drag rope are attached. > either 

 of tlie ropes should ever be fastened directly 

 to the hoop, as the latter may be broken by so 

 doing. 



Tho Wicker Car. The car should be made 

 of willow, as this is the lightest material that 

 can In- used for the purpose, and gives an un- 

 equaled degree of elasticity. Rattan is often 

 used, although it is much heavier. It wears 

 well, and may sometimes be added with advan- 

 tage to the willow car. The shape of the car is 

 a matter of taste. A closely woven basket of an 



oval pattern \s generally preferred. Six or 

 eight strong rojx'.s arc woven into the willow, 

 puling through the. Ixittom and sides of the car 

 ami making from twelve to sixteen atta< hmenU 

 to the concentrating ring. A convenient car to 

 seat twelve or more jwrsons IB made with tho 

 addition of extended sides, which may be perma- 

 nent or detachable, by having the parts made 

 separately and attaching by rope laces. The ex- 

 t.n-ioii forms the seats, and has another set of 

 ropes to be fastened to an extra hoop, larger 

 than the concentrating ring. 



Floats. Around the sides of the car, either 

 within or without, may be lashed one or more 

 floats. A contrivance that is light and always 

 attainable consists, according to the size of the 

 car, of from fifty to one hundred hermetically 

 sealed fruit cans in a long, stout canvas hose just 

 large enough for the cans to slip in. This forms 

 a life-preserver in the water, and no one need 

 fear drowning, though cut loose from the bal- 

 loon, so long as he stays by the car. Those who 

 are cognizant of the many disasters that -have 

 happened to aerial voyagers for want of some 

 means of keeping afloat when falling into the 

 water will fully appreciate the value of this sim- 

 ple device. 



The Drag Rope. This useful appendage is 

 usually about 350 feet long, is simply a stout 

 manilla rope, of a weight proportioned to the 

 balloon. The lower end is pointed, and the 

 strands are well sewed together to prevent ravel- 

 ing. It has come into use within the past thirty 

 years, though it was suggested by Green, the 

 English aeronaut, long before as a good appli- 

 ance for preventing an'erratic descent into the 

 water. Some practice is required to reconcile 

 the aeronaut to its use ; for while it has many 

 good points, it has some bad ones also, the worst 

 of which is its liability to entanglement in tree- 

 tops. The balloon is checked in its downward 

 course when the rope begins to rest on land, 

 water, or forest, and with the means of tempora- 

 rily escaping woods or water the aeronaut is 

 pretty sure of finding a good landing-place. 

 Finally, the drag rope will help him to a safe 

 descent by its frictional, hold-back qualities. 



The Anchor. An ordinary boat anchor will 

 answer the purpose. Some use five-pronged 

 grapnel hooks, which are most effective when 

 the prongs are straight and three-sided like bay- 

 onets. A thin, diamond-shaped steel plate on 

 the end of each gives a better hold in soft ground. 

 Large balloons should have two anchors attached 

 to the same rope, one a little in advance of the 

 other. A boat anchor and a straight-pronged 

 grapnel are very effective. 



Size of Balloons. A balloon of 7,000 cubic 

 feet capacity may be made light enough, when 

 filled with hydrogen gas. to carry a man of 160 

 pounds and some ballast. A capacity of about 

 12,000 cubic feet of coal gas will be required for 

 one man. But neither of these balloons can 

 carry much extra weight, and experienced aero- 

 nauts will not consent to such a limit. The sizes 

 in ireiieral use range between 12.000 and 100,000 

 cubic feet. A party of 9 persons ascended with 

 a balloon of 02,000* cubic feet capacity from the 

 Centennial grounds in Philadelphia, carrying 

 with them a large quantity of ballast. They were 

 nineteen hours in the air, and landed near Perth 



