The Sun.
London, England, 1866-03-02 00:00:00

Aeronautical Society of Great Britain.

At a meeting of this society, held at Stafford
House, St. James, his grace the Duke of Sutherland
in the chair ; present also Lord 11. Grosvenor, Dr.
Fairbairn, Mr. Glaisher, Mr. Wenham, Mr. Butler,
Mr. Wheble, and Mr. Biearey.
Several gentlemen were admitted as members.

The communications were of an interesting nature,
and a paper was read by the hon. secretary, Mr. F.
W. Brearey, which was ordered to be published, as
it was thought to contain some valuable suggestions.
Mr. BREAREY said it was necessary for the guid-
ance of inventors that they should be made aware
of the nature of the experiments which the society
would be likely to encourage. In the formation of
the society he had been careful to adopt moderate
views. He believed that although the gratification
of mankind might be greatly enhanced, and ex-
plorers in distant countries materially aided, so that
indirectly we should increase in knowledge; yet as
a means of conveyance no improvement in aerial
navigation would ever enable it to compete with
ship or rail. The simple object of ascent and de-
scent by mechanical means had been greatly over-
looked in the more ambitious attempts at propul-
sion of the balloon, which entailed the adoption of
unmanageable machines. The power required to
raise an object which already possesses buoyancy
would be very slight compared to that which would
be requisite to propel against a resistant atmosphere,
whilst the effect would be greater, inasmuch as
within the range of one mile from the earth various
currents might be met with, and occasionally in an
opposite direction, whilst one mile obtained by pro-
pelling horizontally would be unappreciable. A
balloon wanting 201bs. ascensive power in addition
to its gas, could be aided to that extent by mechani-
cal means ; and provided a low elevation were main-
tained, the cessation of its action would cause it to
descend without sensitive tendency to rise again
upon its contact with the earth. Apply this small
power to a propeller, and no satisfactory result could
be obtained. In addition to this advantage, the gas
could be saved, and the balloon fastened down to
the ground, similar to the war balloons in France.
He read an article from the Westminster Review, in
which the observations of several authorities relative
to air currents were recorded, as also the opinion
of Mr. C. Green, that were it possible to maintain
a balloon at any desired elevation, an aeronaut
might almost take his choice of direction.
He observed that there appeared to be no doubt
that men had upon several occasions succeeded in
flying to some slight extent, and that it would be
advisable, in any future attempt, to use the balloon
merely as a buoyant power, as an embryo swimmer
uses corks, until he should grow confident in the use
of his apparatus. He referred to an invention of Mr.
Butler, one of the council, by which a forcible bloW
of more than 401bs. could be given by a pair of
wings operating from the car of a balloon ; and no
doubt this power, equal to about 1,000 cubic feet of
carburetted hydrogen, would be able to raise a bal-
loon which wanted that amount of gas to make it
ascend. There were some disadvantages attending
the use of these wings which might possibly be mo-
dified. Another object which the society should
contemplate would be experiments in the manufac-
ture of gas in a cheap and expeditious form for
emergencies ; and this brought him to the remark
that the absence of a balloon corps in our army had
not been satisfactorily explained, although the au-
thorities had instituted inquiries with that object.
He quoted from a leading periodical of April 14,
1862, as to the services rendered to the Federal
Americans by a balloon observation, and also from
the author of Astra Castra as follows : —" I think it
may be adduced from the foregoing historical ac-
count that a very fair average of success hasattended
the use of reconnoitring balloons by different armies
during the last 70 years." Ilefurther suggested an
application to the proper authorities for some pecu-
niary aid in prosecuting these and kindred experi-
ments. He quoted from an address lately delivered
in
.France by M. de Fouville, showing the benefit
which the balloon had conferred upon science by
the aid of Mr. Glaisher, in which he concluded
in these words :—" It is not, therefore, possible
to assign any limit to the utility of aerial navigation
.as is now practicable by the labours of distin-
guished philosophers." Mr. Brearey further advo-
cated the possession by the society of a balloon, so
that a buoyant aid might be afforded to inventors,
and also to assist in the further investigation of air
currents, and for experiments on its captive state;
and he also suggested that the members of the society
should make observations of the clouds daily in
different parts of the country, and of their diverse
directions at varied elevations, and that they should
be furnished with a form which would show the
course of the lower, middle, and upper strata at
given moments of time.