The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1886-09-15
ERIAL FEATs.
Progress of Balloon Navigation During
Recent Years.

Progress of Balloon Navigation During
Recent Years.
The most recent feats, with conclu.
sive proof, in the newborn science OF
balloon navigation was performed in
France on September "a, 1885, by tho
young military engineers, the brothers
Renard. from the camp of Chalons,
within a few miles of Paris. Starting
at twenty-five minutes after four o'clock
in the afternoon, the 8ronauts reached
Point du Jour after five o'clock, return.
ing to the camp at twenty-five minutes
to six, the same afternoon-a distance
of three miles each way. On this jour-
ney, in the outward trip, the wind was
against them, oppos ng the advance of
the apparatus toward the capital at the
rate of four meters per second. The
revolution of the screw was So per
minute; its diameter Z meters. The
volume of the balloon was 1900 cubic
meters, filled with pure hydrogen gas.
The machine was of Lighthouse power,
constructed by NJ Gramme, with bat
terry by Captain Renard, weighing in all
800 kilos, and capable of work ing at the
rate given for two hours. The whole
journey was performed with perfect
evenness, and the balloon acted in
most satisfactory manner. After the
journey Captain Charles Renard said:
Il consider the problem of aral navi-
cation solved by the results of our ex-
pertinent. !" A journey was also made
on September %, 1885, with much the
same results, the only d ference was
that the wind was with the aerial boat
going out and against her on the return
Journey, and was light all the time,
blowing at the rate of one meter per
second. The distance covered was about
five miles.
On November 3, 1884, Captains Rem.
ard and Krebs made balloon voyage
from Mendon to Bellancourt, and re-
turned, alighting at the point from
which they started in forty-iive minutes.
This was the third attempt made BY
CAPITA Renard with his balloon and
steering apparatus, the second having
proved a failure. His first attempt was
in August, 1854, with such good results
as to create the greatest interest in all
the military circles of Europe. The
balloon was cigar-shaped and pointed
at each extremity. In the car were
seats for two aeronauts, and the balloon
had a directing apparatus and rudder.
The force was obtained by a series of
electric accumulators of ten horse
power, and the balloon was operated
for four hours.
On October 80, 1883, an experiment
took place at the Place de la Defense.
Courbevo;e. Paris, under Nj. Brisson,
but the cable apparatus failed and the
result was consequently unsat sfactory.
In June, 1879, Prof. Grimly and
newspaper correspondent started from
Montreal for New York in the air ship
Canada, but they had fearful ex-
pericnce and came near losing their
lives owing to the poor quality of the
gas used.
In September, 1879. Prof. C. r. Ritch.
ellis ar ship was sent up at Hartford,
Conn. 1t consisted of balloon above
and vertical screw, worked by hand
power, beneath, for lifting purposes, and
a horizontal screw for steering. The
result was any thing but a success. In
four-mile breeze it could be steered,
but at little increase above that force
it drifted miles to leeward. Y Her.
aid.