ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 48, Issue 81, 16 January 1928, Page 7

ACROSS THE ATLANTIC

PROPOSAL BY T. P. BARNUM. FLIGHT IN BALLOON. Fifty-three, years before Captain C. A. Lindbergh accomplished his flight across the Atlantic from New York to Paris, that illustrious showman, P. T. Barnum, startled the country with a scheme to finance a balloon voyage to Europe—.and thereby obtained wide publicity for Baj-num and his museum (states the "New York Tillies").

Barnum was usually front page news and when he arrived home from a European trip in 1874 he called in the newspaper reporters to tell them about bis proposed overseas balloon. Barnum said he had no personal desire to cross the Atlantic by air, and he would not encourage others to make the voyage until he was reasonably certain that it could be made without imperilling the lives of the aeronauts. A Philadelphia aeronaut named \\ lse and his son were eager to try the teat, as were also eight aeronauts in Burope. One of them, an official in the English mint, had written to Barnum stating that he would make the transAtlantic trip in a balloon if it were prepared as he desired There was really nothing to fear. Professor Hodsman, of- Dublin, had crossed the Irish Channel the previous) year (18 16) in a balloon, and he assured Barnum that there was little risk in the adventure'. Thus assured, Barnum gave his close attention to the question arid conferred with eminent scientists Nearly every scientist assured him the undertaking: was practicable. Next he turned his attention to the cost of preparing a balloon and the best means ot payin Hodsman told Barnum that he had constructed a balloon inflated it lett the gas in it for 30 days, and not a leak or a break was found in the fibre at the expiration of that time. It Boinum would have such a balloon made For him, Hodsman would willingly atenipt to cross from America to England. The voyage would have to bo b eg„n in America, according to the theory of Professor Nadir, ot Fiance who said that a strong, current of a from west to east prevail, at.a cortain attitude. Both scientists told Barnrm that the passage could be made in 48 ho The kind of balloon recommended Jsl balloon made of. tulle. Bilk .properly seasoned and airtight. There were to be an inner and an outer balloon fitting a* closely as hand and dove, but independent of .each other tC whole to be 80 feet in diameter Thl balloon would hold 280,000 feet o o;as and possess a lifting power oi 16 Sum went to Spitalfields, Manchester, Lyons and other-placesabroad not consider himself finally committed to the project et he mode every provision for its fultilment"the moment that he was satisfied there would be no extraordinary danger in the flight. He announced through $e press that he wojildwilhngly invest 50,000 dollars if he thought that there ,'as no unusually, good chance of the voyagers losing their lives. It was a good newspaper yarn, but nothing ever came of it save talk.