Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1892-04-06
AIR SHIPS.
Have the Germans solved the Lon = studied
frohiem---Acccrding 10 Rus.iaa Rports
NJ SCENE That They uave.

Have the Germans solved the Lon Sc udieA
frohiem--4According To Ru>-iAa Rports
n SCENE That They HAVE.
ST. PErEisssuRo. March ai.-The prcs-
cncc of balloons over the forts and en-
sampments In Poland Ii becoming more
frequent than ever. and this fact Is
causing much indignation among army
officers. who arr helpless tn prevent mill
itary secrets from becoming known To-
the German officers. who are known To
be taking observations from height
that places them beyond the reach OF
any bullets aimed at them. One of
these balloons from the German from
tier recently appeared ut Kovno. IL
lowered above the fortress there
until the officer I'm command be-
came so greatly exaspcrated that he
ordered some of the soldiers to fire at
the balloon, and. II possible. 10 bring Il
Ia the ground. Had the soldiers been
able to hit tho big siliscn bag floating
~ high In the air and make "a hole in II.
IL would have meant n horrible death
for Its occupants. but the range was too
great. The Germans continued their
observations, in no way bothered by the
firing, and when they had concluded
they returned whence they came.
The impression grows stronger daily
that the Germans have at last solved the
long studied problem Of aerial navipa-
ton. These balloons that have appeared
over various places in Poland arr under
perfect control. They moved I'm any dcSir-
cd direction, and the wind currents have
no pcrceptiblc effect ON them. In fact.
in ut least ono instance Il Is known
that the balloon sailed directly against
"A ~trnnU wind a
crs accounted FOR this ON the ground
that the upper current in which the
balloon was, was moving in AN Opposite
direction from the current nearer the
earth. This argument was rendered
fallacious I'm a very short time bv
the balloon stopping over the
military camp at Dombrowico. and
then mancuvcring Go obtain posi-
TONS from which the camp could be
studied I'm detail The motive mower
employed and the means adopted for
steering are utterly unknown. but all
the facts in connection with the appear
ancc of these balloons 60 Ia show that
they are under absolute control The
possibilities of n perfect system of aerial
navigation are thoroughly understood
by Russian officers. but they are nhso-
lutely helpless to guard against them.
IL Is the fact OF their utter hclplcssncss
that renders their indignation more
deep and bitter
few nights ago the inhabitants OF
Warsaw were startled by an intensely
bright light that fell from the Sky upon
thc city. All eyes were turned upward
nut nothing could be seen save path
of light that ended in "a small focus.
Many people in their excitement thought
~ was n comet in close proximity 10 tho
earth, and were greatly frightened.
Suddenly the rny of light swept in
another direction, and when their eyes
became accustomed To- the darkness
that followed they could see far up in
the sky balloon. Then Il dawned
upon the people that II was an electric
search light that had caused the bril-
liant illumination, and that the Ger
mans were continuing their observa-
ton of Russian defcnscs with it's aid.
The balloon remained over the city un-
til l o'clock in the morning. when the
light was eNtinguished and the balloon.
heading westward, toward the frontier
of Prussia, disappeared.
Russian officials hold that with man
agcahlc balloons, the whole system OF
warfare will Ice changed II is self-eyi-
dent that none of the present fortifica-
tions would bc able To Withstand an at-
tack from above them. Shells would be
dropped with almost umcrring GER
tainty, and NO city could defend itself
from an enemy far up in the air, beyond
the reach of any missile. Even modern
cannon, with their great range, could
not ut present lie used against balloons,
Tor the reason that gun carriages have
not been made that win allow OF per-
pendicular elevation.