are almost certain to find currents going in
any direction you wish, and a skilful bal-
loonist, once he found the current he want-
ed, would simply travel with it and utilize
it to help him on his way.
I would not attempt a transatlantic voyage
with less than half a dozen men. That num-
ber would be necessary to work the appa-
ratus and to allow of them sleeping in turn.
It is not easy to say before one has made
the attempt how long the trip would take,
but with powerful machinery the speed
would be great, and the time taken at pres-
ent between Europe and America would cer-
tainly be considerably shortened. I do not
regard it as impossible that with a strong
and steady wind behind him—such as fre-
quently sweeps across the Atlantic—an aero-
