The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1886-06-24
NAVIGABL f BALLOONS.
It Is Claimed that the Problem is Near
ly Solved.

1t Is Claimed that the Problem is Near
Iy Solved.
Long ago men learned the art of alter
ing the course of ships at will, of ad-
justing sails to breezes, and of tacking
and putting about so as to gain their
appointed haven through all the exi-
gencies of winds and waves. The ship
of the air, however, stood in different
position as regards the controlling pow
er of its sailors. The first business of
aeronauts was that of ascending into
the air, and of securing their ready and
safe descent. These matters having
been worked out satisfactorily enough,
the idea of making the balloon some
thing more than wind-tossed bag, and
of utilizing it as n statutory means of
locomotion, grew upon the minds 81 ex-
perimenters. All that is required is di-
rective control and propelling power.
The latter project presents no difficulties
of unsurmOuntable kind. Electricity
has been attempted as a motive power,
in ballooning with satisfactory results.
The chief matter at issue is the power of
navigating absolutely and truly the
course of the ship in the air. This point
settled or practically achieved, that of
swift motor power will not be delayed
in its further development. A balloon
service for purposes of ordinary locomo-
ton may be a realized fact of life before
this century draws to a close. Recent
accounts of French experiments in the
navigation of balloons must therefore
prove of interest. The modern balloon
of NJ. Renard, who is Captain of the
Chalais-Meudon aerial machine, is sim
gularly unlike the well-known object
we have seen careering through the blue
ether. As seen in an excellent photo
graph of its flight taken from the OBJ
servatory at Meudon the balloon pre-
sents the appearance of a cylinder point
ed at each end. 1t shows, in fact, a
somewhat thickened spindleshape;
steering rudder. at what we presume
may be called the stern of the air ship;
and a commodious car below. Like
other ships tine navigable balloon pos
sesses ''log" for determining the dis
tance sailed. This is miniature bal
loon made of goldbeaters' skin, 12O
litres in capacity. This balloon log is
let go, flies to the rear of the car, and
its swervings and twitchipgs duly regis
tered by the aid of a chronometer. The
velocity of the air ship can be accurate
ly tested in this fashion. The other
furnishings of the balloon include the
electrical motor apparatus already re-
ferred to. and the steering gear.
Recently-published accounts of the
aerial voyages of NJ. Renard show clear
ly enough that the question of accurate
navigation in the atmosphere is merely
one of time. Thus we find it stated that
in one experimental trip. lasting fifty
minutes, NJ. Renard, despite contrary
current winds, navigated the balloon
safely to the exact spot at which he had
aimed. In another voyage the balloon
was set in motion from Meudon in the
direction of Paris. whence strong wind
was blowing. The start was made in
an atmosphere of rain and fog at 425
p. m. At first the air-ship was inclined
to '.jaw," as a sailor would say, but
speedily answered to its helm, and
reached the Seine, towards the western
end of the Island of Billancourt, at 5
o'clock. The aerial log showed the rate
of travelling to be six metres per second
"a metre being something over thirty
nine inches, and the locomotion being
thus of highly respectable speed. The
balloon entered the enceinte of Paris at
Bastion No. 65 at SIP p. m., after tour
lasting forty-seven minutes. There the
aeronauts determined to put about ship,
and the maneuvre was executed with
the greatest ease. On the return Jour-
ney it fell in with a favoring wind and
made the point of departure in eleven
minutes, as compared with the forty
seven minutes occupied on the out-jour-
ney. The average hight at which the
balloon sailed was about 400 metres
above the ground. The succeeding day
the French Minister of War and the
President of the Committee of Fortifica-
tions covered the same ground in the
balloons. The wind was blowing to-
wards Paris, which was reached in
seventeen minutes, the return journey
occupying twenty minutes. The ship
again returned to the exact point of its
departure, and the landing was easy
this last being a material point in the
experiments, when we reflect upon the
serious bumpings and other exigencies
which used to be encountered by the
CoXwells and the Glaishers in the early
days of ballooning. The report of the
experiments shows that out of seven
voyages made the balloon returned in
five cases to the exact point of depart
ure. Trials such as described would
therefore appear to indicate that sys-
tematic navigation in the air is pro-
ject which in Il few years may appeal to
the public as a scheme deserving tangi-
BILE support. Doubtless we may be in
clined at first to regard an aerial voy-
age with feelings of distrust; but per-
sons still living can remember the day
when the idea of securing the country
in an express train at the rate of sixty
miles an hour was regarded with feel
ings of incredulity. Time. which has
worked wonders in the matter of rail-
way travelling, may be trusted to soften
down any asperities of thought with
which the suggestion of voyaging in
navigable balloons may be at present
encompassed.