The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1874-08-02
a Novel Balloon Ascent.
fScientifc. Americana

tSCfonEhc American.
The French nation has long been fore.
most in aerial navigation. Pilatre de Ro-
zier became lannon's as the first who ven
tured to ascend in fire balloon, the invention
of the renowned Montgolfier. This was
on October Is, 1888, few animals having
previously been sent up, which safely re-
turned to earth. Soon after, Pilatre again
went up, taking with him the Marquis OAR
iandes and gradually it became so fash
ionable to take a trip into the higher
regions that many persons fell victims to
the aerial fever. Pilatre himself lost his
life, being precipitated into the Channel in
attempting to cross. 1t is to him that the
idea of using balloons for war purposes Is
to be ascribed, as on his suggestion the
Convention authorized the formation of q
company of Aerostiers, who were employed
in accommodating the enemy. Two officers
made the observations, and mmunicated
with earth by means of flags, or by mes
sages written on paper and weighted TO
prevent their being lost. The last expert
ments of this kind were made in A'giers,
in 1880, but with so little success that the
company was dissolved.
Aerial navigation, however, assumed
great prominence again, in the late war,
especially, as we have often described in
these columns, du,i ing the siege of Paris.
| 1t was in this excellent school for aeronauts
that Theodore Sivel was educated. He
travelled after the close of the war, with
his beautiful balloon "Koloss,'' in Sweden
and Denmark, and then in Germany. His
mother-in law, Madame Poitevin, we'll
known aeronaut, was probably his instruct
ess. The ease and elegance of Sivers bal
loon in ascending created general sensa-
| ton.
In Leipsic lin the fall of 1879 he was
descending rapidly, with five other voy-
ayers; and seeing a great danger. he
boldly discharged the gas at once (by
| suitable mechanism for Sitting up the
balloon), after the anchor had taken hold
and obtained thereby full control over the
empty balloon, without any loss or accident
His most remarkable ascent was made or
May 20, 1874, from Leipsic, when he as
cended with five balloons. fastened to
gether, which was, as he himself stated
"the grandest experiment ever undertaken
in this line" Around the main balloon
Europa" we're secured the four smaller
ones, named Asia, Africa, America, anc
Australia. The ascent was made at 5:5O
NJ, Sivel and one passenger in being In the
basket. The strong wind carried the bal
looms, which turned playfully around OF
their axes, in a westernly direction; ant
they were visible at an elevation of 9OO'
feet as their great bulk made them yer.
obvious at that height. At about o'clocl
Sivel detached the smaller balloons, AM
succeeded in drawing them down to tn
basket and hooking them thereto. He the
, opened their valves simultaneously, an
descended, safely and majestically, to th
f earth near the railroad station at Durren
berg. A few days after this ascent
, double ascent was undertaken. Sivel rlsin
in the before mentioned "koloss," an
3 Madam Poitevin travelling in the balloo
Zenith" making an almost unique dis
3 play in aeronautics.