Thereupon the balloon will be emptied very rapidly, and all dragging along the ground will be avoided, however violent the wind may be.
Of course Andrée will not make use of the “rending flap” until he is travelling over hospitable regions and wishes to terminate his aerial voyage and alight definitely.
Bands for Protection against water.— Sundry Details.—Above the appendage, at the parallels measuring 16 feet 4 inches and 22 feet 11 inches respectively in diameter, there are fixed, by one of their edges, two vertical circular bands nearly 4 inches high.
These bands are of single silk; their purpose is to form gutters for carrying off any water which might run down the material of the balloon, and thus protect the car in which the observers are stationed from rain. In the interior of the appendage there is another band, differently placed, forming a circular trough, intended to receive any water that might result from a strong condensation of the gases contained in the balloon, and thus prevent any accumulation of such water over the automatic valve. Between the external band, of 16 feet 4 inches in diameter, and the appendage, and facing the tube through which the rending cord passes, the inflating nozzle, which is 19 feet 8 inches long, is fixed.
The two cords which control each of the manipulating valves are worked by pulling: one, being that which opens the valve, is painted blue; the other, which closes it, retains the natural colour of the hemp.
The cord acting upon the rending flap is coloured red.
Along a meridian traced on the envelope coloured marks are made, with figures indicating every 546 yards of cubic contents of the segment above each mark. This will admit of the progress of inflation at Spitzbergen being rapidly ascertained.
On two other meridians, suitably situated, are shown the positions for the straps to support the sails with which the polar balloon is to be provided.
The Car.—In the construction of the car, the use of iron or steel was prohibited, so as to avoid interfering with the action of the magnetic instruments. Its form is cylindrical, measuring two metres in diameter, from centre to centre of its sides, which are of cane basket-work mounted on a framework of chestnut-wood; eight handles of wicker-work are attached to the cylindrical part, at a convenient height, to facilitate the transport.