It was obviously necessary also to repel or counteract the attraction of any body which might come near me during the voyage.

Again, in getting free from the Earth's influence, I must be able to steer in any direction and at any angle to the surface.

For this purpose I placed five smaller bars, passing through the roof and four sides, connected, like the main conductor, with the receptacle or apergion, but so that they could revolve through a much larger angle, and could at any moment be detached and insulated.

My steering apparatus consisted of a table in which were three large circles.

The midmost and left hand of these were occupied by accurately polished plane mirrors.