The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1885-01-10
Science In Balloon Warfare.

The scientific year begins with prom
Use, and even ballon races are talked
of for the coming summer. The Paris
papers yesterday published a descrip-
ton of reported invention OF
the aeronaut, NJ. GODDARD, which,
if really what is said should be
realized, is likely to revolution
izo modern warfare. The invention
in question is an aerial torpedo boat OF
5000 cubic feet, which can be inflated in
fifteen minutes, steered and stopped at
the caprice OF the balloonist, and capa-
BILE Of avoiding the shot and shell of the
| enemy. 1t IL so constructed that it
could hurl ton weight of explosives on
OH army with impunity.
CRITIC1sING THE BALLOON.
The aeronaut' with whom your CORES
| pOndent discussed the invention were
inclined to regard the most OF Nj. Co
| dard's reported statements as nonsense
| 1t was uncomfortable, said one authority,
that balloon OF the kind described
could be made so light as to rise
above cannon range, and yet DO ablo to
carry anything like ton weight of eI-
piOslves. Besides, he went on to say,
even granting that NJ. GODDARD had the
delightful freedom Of movement which
he says he has, it is absurd to talk of
hurting huge prOiectiles on an army. a
few bottles OF nitro glyoerino would
suffice.
Mr.. Frederick Cover, replying to n
question of your correspondent, said:
! an. Godard'9 torpedo balloon appears
to include u principle for controlling
the movements OF large aerostat,
I which is the chief point nc issue in tho
I Rft NJ L
nothing of the special means he pro-
| poses to employ, but the ends which he
| hopes to attain require efficiency and g
certainty of action beyond anything so
/ tar seriously claimed that has been in
vented to my knowledge"
! IQUAL1ZGNG WAX SYSTEMS.
Rumors Of an invention by MIR. Cover
| having already como to your cOrre-
spondcnt's ears, he pressed that gentle
| man to give the details. MIR. Cover made
tho following statoment:--"lt is true |
| have invented a balloon tOrpedo-not
an aerial torpedo boat, mind which
trust will bring the existing systems Of
warfare TO u close. This, ut
east c,I is my yoe prime a,.o,,,r object 9GS
method fully. am certain, however,
that my utilizing a current Of wind at
an asGartiaued level in known direc-
ton, and maintaining my aerial tor
pedOes on that level by automatic
means and launching them in great
numbers and quick succession, q terri
ulo loss could be inflicted on an advan-
cling army. Indeed, II might be wholly
destroyed. The mere arising of par
ticular current of wind would bring to
an army the certainty of disaster H. tho
absence of any power TO reply to tho
attack.
CERTAIN DESTRUCTION TO An ARMY.
"Tho fact that an attack is equally as
easy by night or day, and
that tho machines themselves
frequently travel ut u height
be undecided even In broad daylight,
could not fail to effect the morale OF the
most seasoned and disciplined soldiers.
The idea of aerial torpedoes in some
form Is not my own. only claim for y
given problem practical solution.
Since the Austrian attack on Venice in
1919 all great powers have studied the
subject. The difficulty has always been
that to maintain the machines in air
long enough to Gov + tho ground over
which 1t is required to travel, IL has
been necessary to give them such n
buoyancy at the start that they rose TO
aheight at which they were liable eithor
to lose the wind or encounter q cross
current, bringing them back upon their
sendcrs.
AN AUTOMATIC DISCHARGE,
"To be efficient balloon torpedoes
must be able to keep ailoat at least halt
an hour. | give mine Just sufficient
buoyancy to Keep them at the height at
which to travel. their ton-
donCy to fall Is rosiStad
by an automatic discharge of
tnoir own ballast till the tendency Is
checked. This continues till tho ballast
Is exhausted"
Has anything similar over been
invented before.
fore" asked tho correspondent.
"My friend NJ. CASTOR Tissandier,n
answered Mr.. Cover, "an authority in
in the matter, says there il nothing ut
all analogous In tho history of
ballooningn
"You arc the sole inventor?n
81 ann" said Mr. COVER Paris spe-
oial to tho n Y. Herald.