so as to present always the least surface to the air-currents. These
balloons, where the lines cross the oceans, are secured to huge
floating islands of timber, which are in turn anchored to the bottom
of the sea by four immense metallic cables, extending north, south,
east and west, and powerful enough to resist any storms. These
artificial islands contain dwellings, in which men reside, who keep
up the supply of gas necessary for the balloons. The independent
air-lines are huge cigar-shaped balloons, unattached to the earth,
moving by electric power, with such tremendous speed and force as to
be as little affected by the winds as a cannon ball. In fact, unless
the wind is directly ahead the sails of the craft are so set as to
take advantage of it like the sails of a ship; and the balloon rises
or falls, as the birds do, by the angle at which it is placed to the
wind, the stream of air forcing it up, or pressing it down, as the
case may be. And just as the old-fashioned steam-ships were provided
with boats, in which the passengers were expected to take refuge, if
the ship was about to sink, so the upper decks of these air-vessels
are supplied with parachutes, from which are suspended boats; and in
case of accident two sailors and ten passengers are assigned to each
parachute; and long practice has taught the bold craftsmen to descend
gently and alight in the sea, even in stormy weather, with as much
adroitness as a sea-gull. In fact, a whole population of air-sailors
has grown up to manage these ships, never dreamed of by our
ancestors. The speed of these aerial vessels is, as you know, very
great--thirty-six hours suffices to pass from New York to London, in
ordinary weather. The loss of life has been less than on the
old-fashioned steamships; for, as those which go east move at a
greater elevation than those going west, there is no danger of
collisions; and they usually fly above the fogs which add so much to
the dangers of sea-travel. In case of hurricanes they rise at once to