Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-09-28
BALLOON STEERING.

The most recent feat in aerial navigation
was performed in France on November S,
1854 when Captains Rensrd and Krebs
made balloon voyage from Meudon to
Belancourt, and returned, alighting at the
point from which they started in forty-five
minutes. The aeronauts made complete
success in steering the balloon. This was
the third attempt made by Captain Rensrd
with his balloon steering apparatus. His
second experiment was far from being sat
isfactory. He ascended at Mendon on Sep
tember 13, expecting to go to the Champs
Eysees, and was able for some seconds to
sail against strong breeze, but his attempt
to rise or to return to his starting point was
a failure. The propeller ceased to revolve
after ten minutes, and he descended at Yer
sailles. His first attempt was in August,
1884, when Captain Renard started from
Meudon, and although the balloon moved
against the wind it easily followed the
course along which it was steered 1t was
then veered around and brought back to
the point from which it started. The sue
cess of this feat created the greatest interest
in all the military circles of Europe, and
M. Herve Maujon brought the matter to
GQ6 aUI6uUlOu VI Gu0 IICuCu hSouChiJ VI
Sciences Captain Renard's balloon was
cigar shaped and pointed at each extremity
not simply underneath, as is usually the
case. In the car were seats for two aero
nauts, and the balloon had directing appa.
ratus and a rudder. The force was obtain
ed by series of electric accumulators often
horse power, and the balloon was operative
for four hours.
On October 30, 1883, an experiment took
place at the Palace de Ia Defense, Courbe.
vote, Paris which comprised sensational.
balloon ascent and the use of new contriv-
ance for aerial navigation invented by Nj.
Brisson. The apparatus was lozenge shap-
ed, and could be compared to the upper
deck of one of the small passenger steamers
which cross from Dover TO Calais. 1t was
sort of platform, safely surrounded by iron
ratings, one of which at the height OF two
yards served as support for another plat
form, on which nine parachutes, in the eshape
of a cup, about forty-6ve inches high were
placed side by side. These cupolas were
supposed to reserve under their alright
domes certain quantity of air considered
to be less dense than the interior layer of
air. The apparatus in its descent was ex
pected to dispace volume Of air equal to
it's proper weight, and consequently TO
find its support on a layer of air more
dense than that stored under the cupo
las. At about five p m. the balloon started,
with M. Brisson's apparatus attached to 1t,
with sudden rush, and disappeared IN less
than two minutes in thick fog. The next
day one of the aeronauts reported that after
leaving Courbevoie his party plunged into a
thick fog, but at all altitude of 300 yards the
sky was fine and bright, and the setting sun
gave brilliant light. A sudden expansion
of the gas made them ascend 1900 metres
without having to throw out any ballast.
Having reached that altitude stroug pull
was given to the safety valve, and almost
Immediately the balloon descended with
certain rapdity which one of the aeronauts
attempted to control in order to see whether
NJ. Brisson's apparatus would offer any re-
sistance, or, in other words, remain in the
air by itself The cable to which the appa
ratus was fixed did not even bend, and con-
lequently the result of the experiment was
entirely unsatisfactory. At about six hun
dred metres altitude the aeronaut had TO reg
uate the descent by throwing out ballast, as
he was afraid to make the land too swiftly.
Finally successful landing was made at
the Maladrerie of Poissy.
In June, 1879, Professor Grimley and a
New York Herald correspondent started on
a balloon voyage from Montreal for New
York in the airship Canada, but they had
fearful experience, and came near losing
their lives. After ascending for the first
few hundred feet it was found that the trip
could not be made on account of the poor
quality of the gas used. The wheels for
steering aud the rudder of the aeriel car
worked splendidly, and although they had
drifted away from the point of starting a
few turns of the crank brought the balloon
to the same spot again. The voyagers
started at eighteen minutes to eight p. m
and landed in safety at ten p. M. in the viii
lage of St. Jules, forty-6ve miles distant
from Montreal.
In September, 1878, Prof. c. R. Ritchell's
air ship was sent up at Hartford, Conn. 1t
consisted of balloon above and revolving
vertical screw, worked by hand power, be-:
meath for lifting purposes, and horizontal
screw for steering. 1t illustrated the bal
loon fallacy to nicely. What it gained
from the balloon in buoyancy it lost in the
large surface exposed to the wind. The
balloon was made to balance exactly at the
earth's surface the weight to be carried.
In four mile breeze it could be steered, but
at little increase above that force it was
drifted miles to oleeward.-N. Y. Herald.