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larger balloon, or by filling more fully such a balloon as was used, are questions we are unable to answer. If they can be answered affirmatively it is simply matter for regret that the arrangements were not different from those made.
The great point to be tested by this voyage, however, has been resolved favorably. The existence of a current flowing steadily to the East in the upper regions of the atmosphere seemed to be established. Whether this current be a summer current only we do not know. We presume, supposing it to be a winter one also, it would not be available at that season.
Mr. Wise is of opinion that he can cross the Atlantic. But can that be done with such a balloon as he used in his late ascent? However this may be, there seems to be no difficulty with such a balloon in going from S. Louis to New York or Boston, Portland or Halifax, in two stages, provided, always, in descending you do not get caught in a storm like that which assailed the vessel on Saturday. In four stages the distance might be accomplished from San Francisco to Boston.
For any practical commercial uses, there seems, however, as yet, established no fact which encourages a belief that aerostation can be made beneficial. The science of meteorology may derive important aids from continuing these experiments; and there may flow from them incidental consequences more important than any we can now anticipate. We, therefore, think the enterprises of such intrepid men as Mr. Wise and his associates should be encouraged. Scientific societies might aid them pecuniarily, and, as there is a hydrostatic bureau under our Government, why cannot there be also and aerostatic or meteorological bureau? A meteorological bureau could very properly employ the aeronaut in his service.

VOYAGING IN THE SKY.
In such an age of wonders as ours, we do not choose to risk an unblemished reputation for prophecy by predicting that aerial navigation as a useful science is an impossible thing, lest, before the year is out, Prof. Wise should call upon us with a copy of The London Times of the day before yesterday. But we may safely say that this last balloon voyage from St. Louis proves nothing except that man is a very plucky animal, and that ballooning is now, as it always has been, one of the most certain methods of showing how ready he is to brave all danger, even the risk of being dashed to pieces, smashed out of all semblance to humanity, by a fall of a mile or two, or drowned, like a kitten in a basket, in the hope of doing what was never done before. As all balloon voyages show this cool and indomitable courage, the difference between Mr. Wise and his companions in this last one--a full and exceedingly interesting account of which we give in another column--is a difference not so much in kind as in degree. They have done more than was ever done before, inasmuch as they have traveled further by about 600 miles; and they have made quicker time than was ever made before, for any great distance, inasmuch as they made, in 19 hours, about 1,150 miles. They went, also, in the general direction intended, but this others have done before them. Distance and speed, then, seem to distinguish this voyage from all others that have been accomplished by previous navigators of the upper air, and in distance and speed alone have these men triumphed, except the courage that braved the perils of such an adventure.
Mr. Wise, we believe, claims two things--first, that there is a western aërial trade-wind at this season, of which advantage may be taken for a balloon voyage eastward; and, secondly, that by some machinery he may steer his air-ship. He found by this experiment a western current, and by that, and that alone, it seems he made what sailors would call his easting. We find in his report no mention of any use of his machinery, nor do we hear that he encountered any other than a westerly wind, except that he was once in a current which took him a little to the north of east, and then the machine, when he wished to change the direction, was dropped to a lower strata by the usual method. Thus far, then, we have no evidence of any progress [[crossed-out]] aërostation so far as machinery is concerned.
We have the balloon much the same thing as it has been ever since it was invented, with the same capabilities, an [[??]] apparent difficulties in the 

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way of its success. We have  the Western current, and this seems the only discovery of much importance. Should that prove to be permanent--as fixed, for instance, as the trade winds of the the ocean--we may yet hope for all that Mr. Wise promises, for we do not regard the fact that he landed at Lake Ontario when he meant to make New-York as of much importance. If, indeed, it could not be remedied, it would be no trifling matter; as the balloonist who should start for Southhampton and bring up at John o' Groats, who should clear for Havre and cast his anchor in the Giant's Causeway, could not turn his ballooning to much practical account. But if the general direction can be secured past doubt, or fear of change, the particular direction may be secured with due care and experience. But if the general direction eve is not certain, we have really gained by little. So far as we know, Mr. Wise is merely fortunate in getting, on that day, into a westerly current; and had it been otherwise--had he fallen into one blowing eastward--the papers in his express-bag meant for The Tribune might perhaps been safely delivered to its editor at Salt Lake City. 
Nevertheless, honor to the men who are true to an idea or even to an enthusiasm. We hope most sincerely that Messrs Mise, La Mountain and Gager may yet find that westerly current never varies, and that as they have made the longest and quickest voyage of any aeronaut, they may yet prove that there is certainty as well as speed and adventure in sailing through the blue depths of the upper ether.

Systemic Ballooning.
Letter from Mr. Wise.
To the Editor of the N.Y. Tribune.
Sir: In your daily of July 6, is an article headed "Voyaging in the Sky." It seems to me that a little explanation of what I have for twenty years contended seems now in place. Without wishing to criticise anything you have there stated, I will only state my plain propositions. 
I say there is a current of air blowing from west to east continually, and this current runs never less than fifty miles an hour; oftener sixty, seventy and eighty. Prof. Henry thinks it is the return current of the trade winds. As we ascend higher in the current, it runs faster, until we find it changing a little south of east. The lower current, near the earth, runs toward the north of east. I have found these currents at all times of the year from the 1st of April to the 12th of December. In my correspondence with Charles Green of London, a scientific aeronaut of much experience, I learn from him that these currents exist likewise in Europe. From my experience of finding them thirry-nine times out of forty trials, I contend that regular and precise voyages can be made from west to east, and to places fifteen and twenty degrees north of east form the point of starting. Why, then, it is asked, did we not sail to the City of New-York and deliver our Express bag? It is a very rational inquiry, and deserves a rational explanation.
It could have been done, and should have been done. The reason why it was not done is this: some of our party did not provide themselves with extra clothing. Immediately after leaving St. Louis, I took the balloon to an altitude at which she was making due east. In this current we sailed until some of my companions shivered with the cold, so that the balloon quivered with the tremor. Mr. La Mountain had taken no extra clothing, and the other two were not fully provided for the change of temperature. I had two undershirts, woolen drawers, cloth coat, cassimere pants, and when over these I had two woolen blankets, the expostulations of my companions to come down into a more congenial temperature could not be unheeded. I admonished them, however, of our advertisement to sail form New-York; but in response was told that if we got in to the State the programme would be fulfilled. I also told them that the lower current would take us on the lakes, as it was coming from the south-west; but to this it was answered that we could cross the lakes if we had ballast enough when we got to them.
We finally agreed upon that plan, and to make the voyage one of distance and experiments. One experiment was to try and sail near the earth or water. We did sail 170 miles down over Lake Erie, and at no time over 600 feet above the water. This showed the balloons have no greater tendency to water than to earth. Many aeronauts have stated that balloons will not keep up over water.
You refer to my silence as to the propelling machinery. That I had no faith in its efficiency from the beginning, as Mr. Gager and La Mountain well know. They never made an attempt to try it. It was thought to endanger the balloon while hitching on the car and boat, and was thus ungeared, and I well knew then that they would not attempt to screw on the fans when we were aloft, unless they would incur a danger as great as that incurred by Thurston, when he attempted an unnecessary feat in straddling his valve plate. Propellers upon this ordinary rigged balloon will do no good, for this reason:  The car or platform upon which the propellers are to be worked, is not substantially fixed to the balloon. Hanging by ropes from the balloon, it only serves to wabble it about, and at best to give it a rotary and gyrating motion. I tried it fourteen years ago. With an equatorial hoop around the balloon, with wooden braces to the car which would give it stability and unity, something may be done with propellers and rudder. You will thus see that I have not failed on that point, as the machinery was none of my contrivance. My purpose was simply to make a long voyage from west to east, and in that voyage learn what may be done systematically with balloons.

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I am now convinced that we can go from St. Louis to Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City, with balloons, with system and precision. I hold, and am ready to demonstrate it, as soon as I can raise six thousand dollars, that we can sail from New-York City to Great Britain with system and precision. This we can do with our present knowledge of ballooning. All I ask is a fair chance--a little more experience--one, two or three more transcontinental trips.
We were caught in a terrific gale just when we were about landing west of Rochester for the purpose of sending the U.S. Company's Express to your city, and delivering it in less time than they ever delivered one before--which was all I promised your company when we engaged to take it, and but for that accidental gale would have fulfilled the promise. 
Respectfully, yours,  John Wise
Lancaster, Pa., July 6, 1859.

The Daily Express.
Lancaster City, PA:
Friday Evening, July 8, 1859.
The Great Balloon Voyage
The Philadelphia North American, in speaking of the grand trans-continental air voyage of Profs. Wise, et al, says, no such long voyage as this was ever before attempted or achieved, either by design or accident. Hitherto ballooning has been a mere amusement, and all attempts to apply it to a practical purpose have failed. The grand prerequisite for aerial navigation, the means of steering or guiding the course of the balloon, could not be found, and without it the air ship floated in the mighty ethereal ocean as helpless as a wreck at sea. Our American aeronauts have in the present instance, made the boldest and most promising effort at applying the balloon to a definite use, and though they have not succeeded, yet they have done more than any one ever did before them, and managed to point out a pathway for the future explorations of science and discovery.
The one fact which was asserted before the voyage, and demonstrated, is that there exists in the upper air a reliable and steady easterly current, by rising to which a balloon may travel in that direction to any required distance. This was believed by Messrs. Wise, Gager and La Mountain, from observations made on previous aerial expeditions. Acting upon it, they prepared to make a balloon voyage form St. Louis to New York. They passed over the States of Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the great lakes Erie and Ontario, striking a hurricane by traveling too low, were precipitated into a forest in western New York. This whole trip was successful in showing the existence and character of the current spoken of. Its speed was prodigious, far outstriping that of the fastest locomotives on any of our railways. Had they kept on unvaryingly in this current, instead of descending, as they did on several occasions, there can be little doubt that they would have reached Albany, if not Boston.
Here now is the first great step taken in real genuine aerial navigation. One current is known in the upper air, which like the gulf stream of the Atlantic, or the trade winds, though always tending steadily in the same unvarying direction, may be harnessed to the car of commerce and intelligence, and made to do the offices of man. As too the extent of breadth of this current we remain in ignorance. It is not to be supposed that it exists the same everywhere. Mr. Wise supposes it to be cross the Atlantic, and is preparing for a trip by Balloon to Europe. That is an experiment which, though hazardous, may be successful. As to the perils of the ocean, it is plain from Mr. Wise's narrative, that he fears those of the land for the balloon far more, and that he would rather try his fate in the water than to be dragged over forests and precipices.
With this easterly current which has now been demonstrated to exist, two things are possible which are of great importance. A balloon may go from the United States to Europe with news in two or three days, at the utmost, or it may come to St. Louis or Leavenworth from California in the same time. In the interest of commerce and finance, there are no doubt plenty of persons in all the American cities willing to risk a little capital in such an effort, in the hope of getting advanced news. As yet, no current is known by which a balloon could come hither from Europe, or go to California from St. Louis.