Preparatory Apparatus: and Signal-Rope.
298. 3. A silken, or other light Rope is to be provided: and to run throu’ a snatch Block fastened to a rudder, or to the car, as in Crosbie’s Balloon.[98]
Which Rope alone woud lessen immediate and unforeseen Danger, by using the Balloon as a Sail, if it actually alighted on the Water.
298. Art. 4. The same Rope being a Mile, or a Mile and Half in Length; the Whole, or a Part of it, might be suffered to run off the Wheel, and, falling on the Surface below, in misty Weather, woud serve as a Signal to determine whether the Aironaut was over Land, or Water.
Also by winding up his Wheel, he might, if the Weather was moderate, bring himself down to the Grapple, which might be so contrived as to run down the Rope, and remain at the Bottom, by Means of a Knot, or other Check.
He might also loose his Grapple, and rise again: or when down; pull the Valve-Cord, and land.
298. 5. With a second short Cable, snatch Block and Grapple, he woud be able to moor the Balloon, from which, he might, by procuring the Country People to load the Car with fresh Ballast equal in Weight to himself;—get out, and even leave the Balloon in their Care.
The Precaution of knowing whether he was over a fresh Water-Lake, (for he might hear the Sea) might be useful in misty and low cloudy Weather by Day, or during the Night; without expending Gass in the exploratory Descent.
298. 6. To facilitate the landing, the Signal-Rope may be used to the greatest Advantage, particularly in windy Weather; by lowering out a Part, or the Whole, whether a Mile, or Mile and half, so that the Grapple may take Effect on the Ground, at the Distance of its Length by Estimation, short of the Place where the Balloon is intended to land.
As soon as the Grapple holds; it is in the Option of the Aironaut, to tye Parcels of his Ballast loosely round the Cable, to run downwards along with it.