The Arizona sentinel., 1886-09-18
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 the young military engineers, the brothers Renard, from the camp of Chalons, within few miles of Paris. Starting at twenty-five minutes after four o'clock in the afternoon, the 9ronauts reached Point du Jour after five o'clock, return ing to the camp at twenty-five minutes to six, the same afternoons distance of three miles each way. On this jour- ney, in the outward trip, the wind was against them, opposing the advance of the apparatus toward the capital at the rate of four meters per second. The revolution of the screw was 55 per minute; its diameter z meters. The volume of the balloon was 1,S00 cubic meters, filled with pure hydrogen gas. The machine was of eight-horse power, constructed by M. Gramme, with bat tery by Captain Renard, weighing in all 32O kilos, and capable of working 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: ''1 consider the problem of aerial navi- gation solved by the results of our ex- pertinent. A journey was also made on September B, 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 Ren. ard and Krebs made balloon voyage from Mendon to Bellancourt, and re- turned, alighting at the point from which they started in forty-five minutes. This was the third attempt made by Capta II Renard with his balloon and steering apparatus, the second having proved a failure H S first attempt was in August, 1884, 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 directing apparatus and rudder. The force was obtained by series of electric accumulators of ten horse- power, and the balloon was operated for four hours.
 On October 29, 1883, an experiment took place at the Place de Ia Defense. Courbevoe Paris, under M. 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 a fearful ex- perience and came near losing their lives owing to the poor quality of the gas used.
 In September, 1879. Prof. c. R. Rtch- ell's ar ship was sent up at Hartford, Conn. It consisted of balloon above and a vertical screw, worked by hand power, beneath, for lifting purposes, and a horizontal screw for steering. The result was any thing but success. In a four-mile breeze it could be steered, but at little increase above that force it drifted miles to leeward.-M. '. Her. GLd.