The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-07-04
BALLOONS IN WAR.
AIR SHIPS VALUABLE IN MILL
TARY OPERATIONS.
What Europeans Have Accomplished
IA Balloon as Big as Four
Story House - United
States War Balloons.


q ! ready to take the field in case
~ OF war at a moments notice
is now regarded by all the great Eu-
ropean powers as a matter OF vital I'M
portance. Even in the United States
is the question being discussed with a
great deal of interest. Everything
tends to show that if there is one
branch of modern warfare, or rather,
perhaps, strategy, which is likely to
be watched with keen interest during
the next war it will be that of military
ballooning. It is generally conceded
thst France has made the greatest
strides toward perfection in this line,
though the world at large has not been
permitted to know the exact results OF
! its latest experiments. There is great
deal of secrecy about the establish
ment of Meudop, where the Govern
ment Pare d'Aerostation is situated.
France has been and is spending a
great deal of money in perfecting an
absolutely faultless dirigible balloon,
one that can be moved in any dlrec-
tion at the will of the aeronaut ire
spective of the direction of the wind.
The French experts declare that their
war balloon. the General Meusnier,"
attained speed of twenty-eight miles
an hour and could be guided with ut
most ease to any given point. How
ever, since no outsiders were allowed
to witness the wonderful performance,
It might be trife exaggerated.
The German Emperor does not pro-
pose to let his warlike aeighbor mon
opolize this feature of army equip
ment. He has just presented to the
German Society for Promotion of
Aerial Navigation for the advancement
of this science the sum of $4,000
marks. This is to be applied for the
construction and equipment OF a giant
balloon. This balloon will be as high
as four-story house. 1t will be fif-
ty-six feet in diameter and will con-
tain not less than $3.50 cubic meters of
gas. It will be made of Egyptian
cotton stuff and will be coated with
vulcanizsd gum, a substance which is
considered superior to varnish.
Il, A very interesting feature OF this
monster balloon will be the provision
Of special valve of a new construc-
tion which will keep the gas pure for q
longer time and thus sustain the bal
loon for longer period. It is pro-
posed to make not less than fifty jour
neys within year and to ascend as
high as possible. An altitude of 49,.
600 fset is thought. to be obtainable
by the use of artificial respiration.
More than $25O0 will be expended IN
purchasing scientific apparatus for
this balloon, which is intended more
for taking observations than for the
purpose of war. 8 ~ Il
4 Aside from this the German army
has this spring put in the field as eff
cient balloon corps as that OF France,
though, perhaps, not so strong nu-
merically. At Metz, during the late
maneuvers, several successful ascen-
sions were made which practically
proved the vast advantage an army
may derive from having these aerial
observatories. A very interesting ex-
pertinent was also made to show that
the balloons can, in an emergency,
supply the want OF bridges. A good
sized balloon was supplied with
large number of ropes dangling from
it's side. One of these was seized by
q soldier, who was carried across the
river in the twinkling Of an eye. As
soon as he had landed he fastened the
end of line securely, after which
the balloon was hauled forward and
back, and in less than no time trans
ferred o battalion from one side to
another.
.Ir, A new air torpedo, to be used in
balloon warfare, is the invention OF
Frenchman, who has disposed of his
patent to the Russian Government.
The inventor claims to be able to di-
rect this with IS much accuracy as
that of q submarine torpedo. 1t has
o carrying capacity of nearly 1000
pounds of explosives. The discharg-
ing of these can be made without sub
jcctiag the attacking party to any
risks, owing to the remarkable guild
ing power of this aerial cruiser, which
Is to strike and glide away with mar
~elous rapidity either as it emerges
from the clouds or springs unseen
above the smoke of battle to let fall
:ifs missiles of destruction when least
expected. No public experiments have
as vet been made with this flying tor.
pedo, which, if it is all that the in
yentor claims, will prove a most dan
gerous power of destruction. How
ever, till practical test has been
made no one can Judge OF its merits.
/. In building the war balloon "Gen-
eral Myer" for the signal corps of the
United States army the first real step
7