The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1894-01-20
MILITARY BALLOONS
A Novel Scheme to Throw Bombs
From the Sky.
SCIENCE TO BE TAUGHT
The California Military Academy, just In
corporated, Proposes to Promote
Aerial Navigation.

The Incorporation of the California
Military Academy of Aeronautics was
accomplished several days ago, the
capital stock of S25, 900 being all paid
In. So unique an organization as this
naturally attracts attention and some
wonder as to what its purpose may be.
Baron Macmillan Wolf is at the head !
of it. AS a captain in the German
army he acquired his knowledge of bal
looming, and also an enthusiasm on the
subject that he did not lay aside with
his commission. Baron Wolf, sitting
in his office in San Francisco, explained
what the Military Academy of Aero
nautics intended to accomplish and oc
casionaly illustrated his remarks by
drawing hasty diagrams.
"We will give the members of the
militia" he said, "and the people of
the real army lectures on handling mill
tary balloons and all the machinery
and appliances that belong to the equip
ment, including the way to handle
bombs, give instructions as to how to
act as connecting link between bat
tleship and the shore and teach code
of signals by which any possible condi-
ton of circumstances may be plainly
indicated"
The baron paused here to explain
part of the mechanism of the code
The numeral system is used. During
the day flashes of light will be depended
upon, and at night there will be fire of
varied hue, white, red and blue. Three
cylinders are filed with magnesium,
capable of produc ing, when forced into
flame, these three colors. Running
through the cylinders is rubber tube
with a bulb at one end, the other end
terminating at the flame. BY pressure
on the bulb the magnesium is forced
from any tube at the VIII of the opera
tor, and the result is sudden blaze of
1000 candle power, visible at great
distance. An answer can be flashed
back by the same method.
A balloon thus employed would be
captive, and whether anchored TO the
shore or the ship would depend, of
course, on circumstances. 1t would be
practically out of the reach Of any mis-
sic even in the daytime, while the fire
into the night with the hope of striking
the enemy far aloft would be task en-
tirely hopeless.
1--WE have made an application to the
adjutant general of the state" contin,
. ued the baron, "to enlist his interest
and also to the secretary of war The
, latter has been asked to detail two sol
! diers from each state to attend the col
/ lege and master the science of balloon
D ing. There is practical side to thi!
4 for the people of San Francisco. Tive
D soldiers from each state would meaI
r nearly a hundred men here constantly
e They would spend considerable monel
3 in all lines of trade. Then we hope tt
8 attract the students of the universities
s The professors will be asked TO attent
: and listen to our exposition of our plan
r and be enlightened as to the utility o
e ballooning. We will try to get tn
e students to form balloon sport club
t such as are in vogue in Germany, an
s are there practically adiuncts of tn
d military. 1t is the finest sport in tn
= world.
e "Finer than football? Certainly, for
IS requires brains. The members woul
is have TO possess not alone courage, bu
knowledge of physics, of astronomy
and navigation win be essential. Gt
ing up in a balloon scientifically COZ
5, sidered is not merely taking place
the basket and cutting loose. To mai
N age the military balloon requires ski
N in many directions. To accustom pc
d. pie to the rise of balloons there will
pt after we get fairly started an asceI
as daily to the height of 1880 feet. tt
lie balloon used will hold fifteen peopl
a, After awhile the sport clubs will nj
o, be satisfied with this and will 80 up
m balloons not fastened to the cart
ly Such ascents will be safe and, of cours
Of interesting. There is no danger of b
E. ing carried to the sea, as the air Gu
is rents are always inland"
/. ''How about the airship you ha'
en- been planningl"
d. The baron sighed. "Ah, that is
a matter for the future" he said. "Wa