Description:

"SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN" PROPOSES A RIGID AIRSHIP
A very early issue of the long-running popular science newspaper "Scientific American", 4pp. folio, vol. 1 no. 4, published Sep. 18, 1845 by founder Rufus M. Porter. The featured front-page article of this edition is entitled "The Traveling Balloon", a proposal for a 350-foot long rigid airship fitted with a 30-horespower steam engine, capable of traveling 100 miles per hour. The article is illustrated with an engraving of the proposed craft, and reads, in part: "... With regard to the safety of this mode of travelling, we think it can be readily made to appear that there will be less danger in travelling over land in aerial vessels, than there now ordinarily exists in travelling by either sailing vessels or steam-boats. In the first place, the balloon will be less liable to accident, than either steam vessels or railroad cars, on account of being less exposed; resting on the elastic atmosphere, and floating with the current, except what forward motion is given it by the propelling machinery, it cannot be effected by gales or squalls, like a stationary object, and its motions must be comparatively gentle. In the second place, the balloon will never soar so high but that in case of accident, or any derangement of the machinery, it may safely descend to the earth, in ten minutes: an idea much more consolatory to the passengers , than that of being five hundred miles from land , and surrounded by a violently raging element, to which, in case of either fire or leakage, the marine passenger must commit himself. A third consideration is, that the balloon will be furnished with an improved parachute for each passenger, and of which each may avail himself in less than one minute in case of any extraordinary emergency, and thus safely descend to terra firma..." The newspaper also contains a list of list of recently patented inventions, as well as a letter from Porter, who would sell the newspaper after only ten months of publication. The paper bears folds, large chips and paper loss at the edges, and damp staining, but remains a fascinating example of some of the pioneering ideas of powered flight.

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May 10, 2017 10:00 AM EDT
Elkton, MD, US

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