()|)cn when llxini^- so llial c'l |iiililii-iuni of prt'ssurc niny l)c iiiain- 

 t;iiiu'(l with saliiw 



Sun'oundini;- the l)a.L;' is a net n\ rritUm cords tfrniiiiatin^- in 

 the '•'conct'iitralion-riii,^"' I'l'diii whirh i-- suspciKlnl ihr haskcl. 

 The haskct.s arc of wiokci- ami iialurall\- (■\ci-\ thiiii;' hut safety is 

 sacrificed to lis^litness of c< >n^tnu-lion. 'l\'niiiiiatin,iL;- within the 

 concentration-ring ai-e the iwn im|ioi-taiit controls: the \al\c- 

 cord which runs throUi;h the center (jf the hat;' to the aluininuin 

 valve at the top of the bag, and the rip-cord which is fastened to 

 a panel in the bag. The location of the ri]v]ianel may l)e seen in 

 the accompan}'ing photograph (Fig. 1.) The foinicr regulates 

 the amount of gas discharged and the latter is an emergency 

 measure used only when about to land in a ]iea\^_\- wind. The 

 valve-cord is a light linen cord, the ends of which are held in a 

 small cotton bag, and the rip-cord is a flat linen tape, colored red. 

 The shape and color of the rip cord is to prevent its being mis- 

 taken for the valve-cord. 



Ii(j!itpiiir)if'of a Balloon — A\'ithin the basket are a number of 

 15-lb. bags of sifted sand, a pouch at the side of the basket con- 

 taining loose sand, and a small scoop. In addition to the instru- 

 ments carried (statoscope, altimeter, barographs, and thermom- 

 eters") is a supply of several hundred sheets of tissue paper 

 which are used to determine wdiether or not the balloon is rising 

 or falling. If a tissue sheet falls, the balloon is rising; if it rises, 

 the balloon is descending. It is not possible to tell by the eye or 

 other sensation whether one is rising or falling as there is no 

 sensation except that of motionless suspension. 



The statoscope, altimeter, and barographs are instruments 

 showing the rate of ascent or descent, and, in the case of the 

 barograph an ink record is made of every portion of the journey. 

 As the mass of gas in the balloon is very susceptible to heat and 

 cold, a delicate thermometer, or better yet, a finely adjusted 

 thermograph, is necessary to anticipate temperature changes. 



On the outside of the basket are hung canvas water bottles, 

 life preservers, and a heavy anchor attached to about a hundred 

 feet of rope. In addition to the preserved food carried within 

 the basket, the supply of water is essential in this region because 

 of the proximity of the desert and the life preservers for the like 

 proximity to the sea. The anchor is used to retard flight when 

 about to make a landing and not to hold the balloon. The most 

 useful apparatus is the drag-rope which is a 300-ft. ^-inch rope, 

 made into a ball and suspended from the side of the basket. The 

 fastenings of the drag-rope are cut just when it is decided to make 

 a landing. The rope trails on the ground, relieving the balloon 

 of that much weight, and by means of this rope the balloon may 

 be pulled down by people beloAv as it may sometimes happen. 



10 



