Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1885-10-09
Volume mo. II.
Balloon Steering.

S'tlcu was pei lui ileu III L diCS otl
November 0th, 1884, when Cap aims
Renard and Krebs made balloon voy-
age from Meudon to Ballancourt, and
returned, ahshting at the point from
which they started in forty five minu
tes. The aronauts made complete
success in steering the balloon. This
was the third attempt made by Cap
tain Renard with his balloon steering
apparatus. His second experiment
was far from being satisfactory. He
ascended at Meudon Oh September l3,
expecting to go to the Champs Ely
sees, and was able for some sec ,nd@ to
sail against strong breeze, but his
attempt to rise or to return to his
starting point was failure. The pro-
peller ceased to revolse after ten min
utes, and he descended at Versailles.
His first attempt was in August, 1884,
when Captain Renard started from
Mendon, and although the balloon
moved against the wind it easily fol-
lowed the course along which it was
'steered. 1t was then veered around
and brought back to the point, from
which it started. The success of this
feat created the greatest interest in all
the military circles of Europe, aud NJ.
Herve Maujon brought the matter to
the attention of the French Academy
of Sciences. Captain Renards balloon
was cigar SHAPED and pointed at.each
extremity-not simply underneath, as
is usually the case. In the Car were
seats for two @ronauts, and the balloon
had directing apparatus and rud-
der. The force was obtained by a Sc
ries of electric accumulators of ten
horse power, and the balloon was oper-
ative for foufbours.
On October 90, 1888, an experiment
took place at the Palace de la Defense,
Courbeyoie, Paris, which comprised a
sensational balloon ascent and the use
Of "a new contrivance for aerial navlga-
ton invented by NJ. Brisson. The ap
paratus was lozenge shaped, aud 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 a height
Of two yards served as support for
another platform, on which nine par
achutes, in the shape of cup, about
forty i've inches high, were plac i
side by side. These cupolas were sup
posed to reserve under their alright
domes certain quantity of air consid-
cred to be less dense than the interior
layer of air. The apparatus in its des-
cent wasexpected to displace yfiiln01|
t0T air equat to its proper Weig
consequently to find its suppofSon b.
layer of air more dense than that stor-
ed under the cupolas. At about FIVE
o'clock, p m. the balloon started, with
NJ. Brisson's apparatus attached to 1t.
with a sudden rush, and disappeared
in less than two minutes In a thick
fog. The next day one of the aero
nauts reported that after leaving the
starting point his party plunged into
a thick fog, but at an altitude of 800
yards the sky was fine and bright, and
the setting sun gave a brilliant light.
A sudden expansion of the gas caused
them to ascend 1,600 metres without
having to throw ont any ballast
Having reached that altitude strong
pull was given to the safety valve, and
almost Immediately the balloon des-
cended with certain rapidity which
one of the 8ronauts attempted to con-
troll in order to see whether NJ. Bris-
sons apparatus would offer any resist
ancP, or, in other words, remain in the
air by itself. The cable to which the
apparatus was fixed did not even bend
and consequently the result of the ex-
pertinent was entirely unsatisfactory.
At about six metres altitude the aero
nant had to regulate the descent by
throwing out ballast, as he was afraid
to make the land too swiftly. Finally
a successful landing was made at the
Maladrerie of Poissy.
In June, 1879, Professor Grimley
and a New York Herald correspond
ent started on a balloon voyage from
Montreal for New York in the alrship
Canada, but they had fearful exper-
ience, and came near losing their liv's.
After ascending for the first few hum
dred 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 and the ~udder OF
the aerial car worked splendldly, 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 miLutes to eight p. m. and
landed in safety at ten p. m. in the viii
lage Of st. Jules, forty-five miles dis
tant from Montreal.
In September, 1878, Prof. G. r.
Ritcheli's airship was sent up at Hart
ford, Conn. 1t consisted of a balloon
above and revolving vertical screw,
worked by hand power, beneath for
lifting purposes, and horizontal
screw for steering. 1t illustrated the
balloon fallacy to nicely. What it
gained from the balloon in buoyancy
1t lost in the large surface exposed to
the wind. The balloon was made to
balance exactly at the earth's surface
the weight t, be carriel In four
mile breeze it could be ?teered, bnt at
little increase above that force it was
drifted miles to lecward. Y. Her.
aid.
The mourners around coffin were
greatly astonished last week when the
corpse rose up and asked for drink.
OF course, the corpse was Kentucky
man.
Bromley, wasn't it too bad the way
Miss P,rkins was deceived ?" "How
was she deceiv d - "She married Joe