The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-02

balloon, which was made of a similar
shape TO those previously experimental
with by Giffard and Dupuy de LONE. This
balloon was 81 feet long, 0feet in diameter
and had volume of Sc, 500 cubic feet. The
car was formed Of bamboos secured to-
Rether by cords and copper wires. The
balloon was completely inclosed in a
net, and the car was suspended sufficient
distance below the machine to give the
necessary stability. It was driven by
dynamo-electric motor specially con-
structed for the purpose by the Siemens
brothers. 1t developed LIS horse power
and weighed ninety-nine pounds. The
propelling screw was nine feet in di-
ameter, had two blades and made $50
turns a minute. The current of cleo
tricity for operating the motor was de-
rived from bichromate battery
Of twenty-four elements, the solutions be-
ing made very strong and the surface of
the zinc very large. The weights were as
follows: Balloon, 314 pounds: cords of
suspension, l54 pounds; shafts. "a pounds;
car, 30 pounds; motor. screw and battery,
with liquid for operating two and half
hours, 0l6 pounds: apparatus for stopping.
10 pounds. All this, with the aeronauts
and their instruments aud $40 pounds of
J ballast, brought the total weight up to
It's pounds.
The first experiment took place October
8, 1855 The balloon rapidly mounted to
height of 1910 feet, and when the battery
was fully turned on the balloon com
menced at once to move through the air at
the rate of CT miles per hour. and the
rudder was found to operate perfectly.
A second trial was made on the 26th of
September. 1884, on comparatively calm
day. when the wind was only blowing at
the rate OF 81 miles per hour; the speed
of the balloon through the air was found
TO be So miles per hour. A great number
of evolutlons were performed over Paris.
The balloon remained in the air two hours
and finally descended without accident In
field fifteen miles from the point of de-
parturc.
The present ''dirigeahle" balloon of the
French army, of which so much has been
said, is the result OF long series of expe-
riments conducted Mt Chalais- Meudon in
behalf of the French government by
Capt Renard. Capt, de In Haye and Capt.
krebs Experiments were commenced as
early as 1870. but very little progress was
made until after the brothers Tissandier
had shown their apparatus. Taking adj
vantage of all the experiments that had
preceded them tho French officers con-
sirueted aiish-shaped balloon. the greatest
diameter being near the forward end. The
principal dimensions III the balloon were:
Length. les feet; diameter 21.5 feet; vol
ume, tS, $50 cubic feet. The motive power
was A specially constructed dynamo-eicc-
tric machine, which developed So horse
power on the shaft OF the machine IL
was driven by battery which developed l.
electrical horse power. The weight of the
battery was ~. 3 pounds per horse power
per hour The screw was of great dame
ter. made fSrty-six turns per minute, aud
gave a propelling pull 10 the machine
cf ~ pounds. The principal weights
were: Balloon and halloonette. Sli
pounds; net. %7p pounds: car complete, gal
pounds, rudder iol pounds. screw -
pounds. electrical machine 2i5 pounds
Framework and gearing lt1 pounds. motor
shaft ~ pounds, battery and appliances
RSS pounds, 1vonsuts &ls pounds, ballast
40 pounds, total about 4. 40 pounds. The
relation OF the weights 10 the lifting
power was so adjusted that the balloon
had very little asCenslonal force and " hen
liberated on the 9th of August, 1854, 1t as
found 60 rise very slowly In the air. When
IL had attained \ small elevation above
she earth, the screw MAS put in motion
and the balloon at once commenced to
travel through the air q; a velocity of - Is
miles per hour. and readily responded 20
abe least movement OF she rudder. The
officers in their report on this trial 10 the
government say.
THE direction was at first toward
Chatillon and Xerrieres. hat IN order not
80 become entsngled with the tops Of the
trees the direction was changed and the
balloon headed toward Versailles. Above
villacouhiay, finding that We were about
two and half miles from Ctaiais and be-
ing wholly satisfied wish the behavior of
our balloon, NC decided 70 return AMI 10
ATTEMPT TO descend ~ Chaiais otwith-
standing thai there WAS only very small
clear space there. The balloon made a
haif turn "a the right at q very small angle
OF The radGeT (about IL deg.E The dl-
ameser q the arc of the esrcs described
WAS about SEA feet, The dome ot she In
yaiiaes. by winch we had located oar
selves, showed Chaisis TO be little TO the
lett of the direction in which We were
headed. Following oar route until