Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1892-09-02
CAPTIVE BALLOONS IN WAR
OBSERVATION CARS USED TO GET
A VIEW OF THE ENEMY.
How the Scheme Worked in the
Franco Prussian War McClei-
lan'S Balloon.

tfaucO-ffuSSiuu w a. ASOA~-
Ian's Balloon.
"IIE alarm which prevails IN
Russian army circles over the
German balloons that have
crossed the frontier in midair
to study the fortitications of the great
czardom along its border-linc from
strategic standpoint is but a repetition
of the surprise with which the captive
balloon was hailed during the war OF
seventy.
The Franco Prussian war and the siege
of Paris have amply demonstrated the
utility of the balloon for the purpose OF
investigation and communication, which
without it would have been impossible.
During that siege of five months, lasting
from the 23d of September to the 2Sth
of January, not less than slxty-fiv
balloons with crew of 155 men, 363
carrier pigeons and tonnage of 10000
pounds of mail matter, consisting OF
letters, dispatches aud newspapers, were
sent from Paris to the provinces. The
carrier pigeons were used for carrying
Jack news from the provinces to the
locked-in capital. That the plan worked
successfully is proven by the fact that
fifty-seven carrier-pigeons returned with
more than 100, 900 dispatches. When it
is borne in mind that this mode OF COM
munication was the only one left to
metropolis numbering its populace by
the million this modest result assumes
enormous importance, and the future
besiegement of large centres will un'
doubtedly bring repetition and I'M
provement of this method.
During the last century the French
military engineer employed captive
balloons, which were held with ropes
by the privates of his corps. From the
car attached to the balloon observations
could be made of the territory, the
battlefield, or the fortress occupied, and
a correct idea could thus be formed ol
the position and movements of the
enemy and the Notifications erected BY
them. As early as 1898 and 1874
balloon ascensions were made for this
purpose during the sieges of Valen,
ciennes, MaubeuSe and Charleroi, ano
the battle of Fleurus. General McClel,
Ian was unusually fortunate in the
employment of his balloon June l, 1862
during the battle of Richmond. His
Headquarters were connected by tele
graph with the observation car of the
balloon and he directed the battle
according to the flashes of intelligence
received from there.
These and many other examples, dem.
onstrating the superior advantage OF
bird's-eye view of the situation, assume
still greater range when the trajectory
power of our present firearms is consid
cred, together with the introduction o
smokeless powder. The battlefeld'
must of necessity expand, the fighting
distance become greater, and that side
which discovers the enemy first will have
many points of advantage, enabling it tC
a certain degree to shape and outline the
developments of the contest. A brie
lookout from the car of q balloon lO0u
to 1900 feet in the air reveals more
plainly the position of the enemy TO the
eye OF the stratcgists than all the infor
nation that can be gathered from re-
connoitering parties, outposts and spies.
IL is connected picture that is thus
presented of all that would otherwise
have to be gradually united into whole
from news aud reports rs they come
What can be seen from an observation
car is complete chart, not one com
posed OF isolated fragments, no matter
how correct they may be.
These facts, bearing so closely upon
the tactics of future wars, have resulted
in an increased utility OF the captive bal
loon, the first essential OF which is that
it shall be ready for service at short no.
tice. Napoleon |. abolished Coutelle's
corps OF aeronauts only because they
were unable to keep up with his army.
The military corps OF aeronauts al
Chalais- Meudon, IN charge OF Renardl
succeeded at last in constructing an aero
naut's park, the special arrangement ol
which is kept rs secret Us that OF the
English and German parks OF this class
Gabriel Yon, one OF the most noted
Parsian englneers, who assisted in the
building Of the gigantic captive balloons
exhibited at the worlds fair OF Paris and
London, has constructed his aeronauI
parks alter the Renarl model and sup
piled with them Italy, Russia, China aud
other countries.
Two opposing elements govern the
construction OF military balloon, aud
to harmonize them great care and Juig-
ment Is required, One Ia absolute safety
for the lives of the aeronauts, the other
utmost lightness ia weight OF the balloon
and It's outfit, The first demands u con
struolion lusnring durability aud safety
the second of minimum weight. To Of
foet a compromise between tho two only
lhe boat material can bo used, and care
iul calculation aud many tests are neces-
sary 20 achieve the desired result Tho
weight carried by the gas is by no means
small, fof fon's Italian balloon weighed,
sith passengers, etc., complete, little
over l0O0 pounds. Chicago Times,