Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-08-22
SAILING IN MID AIR.
A NEW YORK INVENTOR SHOWS
HOW 1T CAN BE DONE.

The Proposition That Congress Should
Donate 800. O00-Detter Combine Ex-
isting Plans Than Form "A New one-An
Extremely Newell Combination Suggested.
Now that the congressional committee
on acoustics and ventilation has recon-
mended an appropriation Of a hundred
thousand or 90 Of dollars for the purpose
of aiding Mr. De Bausset in his endeavor
TO demonstrate the practicability of an
air ship which be has devised, it is prob
able that, at no distant day, congress
will pass upon the recommendation. It
Is question WHISTLER such recommends
tiOn should have much weight in securing
the appropriation, and, in this instance,
it is to DO hoped that it will not
This matter is. undou5tedly. of the
first Importance, and. if practicable plan
for navigating the air can be devised, its
value to the human race is incalculable:
The very fact Of its supreme import
ance should cause US to pause before do
mating any amount Of the public money
for the development of nn individual plan
The name OF the air ship inventor is
legion, and, in the past probably hundreds
of thousands of dollars. both public and
private, have been expended in endeavors
to solve a problem that is practically no
nearer solution than it was a hundred
years ago,
However. there have been instances
wherein air ships have been controlled, to
a limited degree under favorable condi-
lions of air currents. etc. and this would
seem to indicate that, in time, it is within
the range OF possibility TO overcome the
obstacles; but when 1t comes 10 a oues-
ton Of public money, rather than expend
one dollar on an untried individual plan,
It would be wiser TO appoint a competent
commission, whose mission should be to
endeavor TO effect combination of those
devices that have already shown the best
elements Of success, each in its own par
ticular field -
Without going into the merits or de-
merits of any of the propulsive air ships
that have been launched. it is safe 10 de-
clare that none. SO far, have proved to be
of the least practical value except for ex-
hibition purposes; but we do know that
in certain directions it is possible to con
troll to q limited degree. the movement
Of gas inflated balloons. and considering
all knowledge which we now possess in
this field, here wonld seem to be our
proper starting point for a successful
evolvement Of the mid air conveyance,
The ability to cause our balloon and its
attachments to attain certain altitude
by initiating it with rarifed gas, to fall
a certain distance by lberating a certain
portion Of the gas; to again rise by dis
charging q portion OF our ballast. and
soon. until both ballast and gas are ex-
hausted and our balloon comes to earth a
collapsed and unwieldy bag, seems to be
the limit Of control attained thus far and
undar these cOnditione IL IL unconditional
for the aeronaut who desires to travel in
a certain direction to cause his vehicle to
stay in a convenient DIR current-eyen
should lie succeed in finding it-long
enough to accomplish his object. Now,
if it we're made possible to 20 step be-
y0nd this. and be enabled not only to
hold our balloon indefinitely at u selected
altitude. but TO do this without sacrificing
either gas or ballast. except in emergen-
cies, it would seem that we had taken a
long stride toward the successful develop
ment of "a dirigible balloon"
Snch a device could not only be placed
in proper air current at will. but in the
event Of sudden change in direction of such
current it might be Immediately shifted
above or below It, and in case another
convenient current could not at once be
found. the balloon might be held station
airy in still air until a desirable change
should occur. A conveyance of this char
acter would Immediately be OF service for
purposes OK war and systematic inyesti-
CATION Of aerial phenomena, as a sort Of
pathfinder for the future Greyhound" of
the heavens. It would be simply invalu-
able. -
We must all creep before we walk. and
If we ever hone to travel through the air