Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1884-10-09

Coxwcli neariy Lost their lives In mount
ing 10 a height of nearly 1900 feet,
but. Notwithstanding the inlormat on
ootainel from Mr.. Glaisher's ascents,
the British Association for the Ad-
raDcement of Science has suffered
aeronautical investigation TO drop out
Of their programme Before dismiss
ing a subject which has always been
frangbt with the greatest interest. and
which, indeed, exercises something
Ike fascination upoa eve-y mind. the
Association had been fairly harried By
papers on balloon-sieering from in
Venfors of the kind who have not vet
given up trying 10 square the circle,
and we believe the patents that have
been taken out for various conirivznccs
in aer0nzutlcs can hardly be numbered
However. the problem OF balloon-Steer-
ing has never been rcEarde even by
scientists Of the first order rs insoiub'e
m theory; II Is only in praet ce that ex-
perimenfs have failcd. ccause il has
cot vet been foun possible 70 construct
motor combining power with light
ness
Il the experiment made al Mcudcn
should prove TO De \ genuine Success.
the credit of the new discovery, which
opens up an endless vista of possiniii-
ties TO the mag nation. viii rest with NJ
Gambetta. whose faith in the iuture of
aerial navigation could never lie
quenched- Ii was he. who. when Pres
ident Of the budget comm ssiOn in 1878.
persuaded the Chambers permanently
20 endow tine Mcudo1 balloon works,
which had been Instituted for OCCASION
al experiments. after the SrancO-scr-
man war. Bal lu1s were usUts Tor mil
itary operations in France rs ears as
the battle of Eleurus, ~ l73s. On this
occasion tine French employed them t5
watch the movements OF the enemy.
The balloons sent out from Paris dur
ing the siege of 1S7O-i served onlg L.
keep the capital in communication with
the Provinces NJ Gambela. who WAS
carried ssfeiy toward Tours IN one Il
them and wf.O was able thereby 10 1T
ganize the National dssense. remained
Unshakable in tte opinion THAI the Sc
crct OF ballOoa-sterring would be dis
covered if only 4 saftcicat sum OF
money was bestowed ungrIldgingiy on
experiments. After the war. an Aero
naufical Commission undsr NJ. Duphv
de LONE was appointed This dis
tingu;sned engineer had been di-
rector of the Aer0nau ical De-
partment during the siege. and
we must remem..er that in ISL he
described 10 the Academy OF Sciences n I
Siderable bzll0an. which was slid 4.
the time 10 be a marvellous an snvcn-
ton IS that just made by Capia
Ren=nd and kncbs. But, wien T'ut 10
serious tests. this invention wa soon
found to be useless. and similar fail
ures attended, machines subsc ;uentlv
tried BY AiM. Giaard and Tisss adler. !
Il seemed as II some o. the balloons
were stec-able because they gOs into
atmospheric currents going In the di-
recfi0n where Jheir rudcers siecred. /
The currents which prevail near the /
earth's ssriace aao-sf ~ signs IS 20 me I
direction of shosc in sll1 higher strata /
OF the atmosphere. and Il more than /
once happened tiE1t balloon. raising
IN It's first flight ahOve the course Of a /
contrary w.nd. app jared TO o5ry the /
propulsion Of the rudder. because il 1
had 20. suddenly into 4 current fOw- /
ing in \ different rection- The Gov /
ernment ended BY losing Us interest IN I
experiments which. after 50 O'tel be- /
ing proclaimed rs successful. ended IN /
disapPoiutmenf; and nothing but IL /
iiambctfa's saeer perinacity wrssns 4
from the Chamber Of Deputies the 1
grant requisite for carving on Sach cx-
periments inde .nitely- Captain Rem
ard, the director of the Meldon works,
has devoted most of his life 10 balloon
ing. and the French Government have
treated him very well n
placing spa7e. money and -ieniiGc a9-
piiances OF all sorts at his disposal
without st;ni. lie has been a-s-ste-l
throughout his labOrs By picked stat
from the corps Of engineers-Loaaol
Times.