The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-02-03

attained speed Of three meters = Sec
ord. It was not. however. until 1873
that. with the help ard collaboration OK
my brother. Albert Tsssandier. was
able to construct = balloon worked by
an electric motor for actual navigation
Our balloon. following the principles
consecrated by the experiments OF De
LONE and OF GifYard. was OF elongated
form. measuring IS meters fronApoanS
to point and having a diameter or nine
meters at its broadcast part. The tissue
was OF calico glazed with varnish spe-
cially invented for the purpose by Mr..
Arnoui. OF Saint Ouen fAumone. she
volume OF the balloon was 1850 cubic
meters, and its total weight. with crew.
consisting of my brother and myself.
ballast, motors, vc.taic pile. fluids and
screw. sufficient for a journey OF three
hours Our motors were not. however.
OF sufficient force to overcome that OF
the wind, and eie best result ootainsd
was that we remained stationary.
When sailing with the wind. however.
our screw propelled US in a very salts
factory manner. We were Delighted
with the easy working of the motor.
and the result OF this experiment was
to confirm absolutely the principle that
1t is the electric motor that must be
used. Although we did not make head
way against a wind blowing at rate
OF three meters a second. we We're able
to resist It and to deviate from its cur
rent by lacking with the greatest fa-
cility
In September, 1854, having In the
meanwhile improved our rudder. we
made another ascent with an improved
machine and heading against a wind
blowing at the rate Of four meters a
second Were abe to progress against
it for about quarter of an hour. I'm
fortunately We had only enough mate
rial to work our motor for a limited
period and were driven to interrupt our
voyage about an hour too early. At
that time the wind was Blowing with a
force very much inferior to that of our
motor, which was one of four meters
second, and had we been able to con-
tinue its working we could have sailed
back to Paris as easily as it, Instead OF
being In a balloon, we had been in a
screw steamer on a calm sea. Al
together both my brother and myself
had every reason to be satisfied with
the result OF our experiments, and to-
consider that a step had been taken
towards the solution of the problem on
which the whole future of ballooning
will depend. If we were not able to
continue our experiments 1t was be-
cause we had not the necessary funds
for the purpose, and this was 10 great
extent the reason why we did not OBJ
tain better results at the time. Our
material was altogether insufficient.
our motors too weak, but We were not
able to afford anything more extensive.
Another reason why we did not con-
tinue our experiments. for perhaps
money could be found for executing
them on a really practicable scale. Is
that we do not wish to enter into COM
petition with the aeronauts of Chalais-
Meudon, who are financed by and work
for the French ministry OF war. The
director of the Chalais- Meudon works
Is Capt Renard. who. In collaboration
with Capt Krebs, took up my idea. and
already in 1884 constructed fish
shaped balloon with a screw at the
bow, which screw was worked by a
powerful dynamo of special construc-
ton. The ascent took place ON August
&.
during which space OF seven kilo-
meters was covered, the balloon being
guided from start to finish with pre-
cision which can only be compared to
shat with which a screw steamer Is
unanswered in the water. Again In 1855
another ascent was made gjtb 8. per-
fected balloon. The balloon was steered
towards Paris and returned To the
point of departure with the greatest
ease and precision.
''rhe result of these experiments is
that with elongated balloons. fitted with
a screw propeller. generating a force Of
speed of from three TO six meters a
second, the aeronaut can travel in
whatever direction he chooses for a
limited space of time, provided the
weather be favorable, that Is TO say.
If the speed of any head wind he may
encounter be not superior TO that gen.
Grated by the motor carried and work
ing on his balloon. This result shows
what remains TO be done. What must
be done is TO improve the motors both
in point of speed and OF weight. It Is
also clear that the bigger the balloon is
the better results can be booked for.
while the resistance only increases In
proportion to the surface presented, the
ascensional force increases In proper
ton TO the cube OF its dimensions. All
the objections made TO the possibility
Of steering balloons have. one after an
other, been proved futile. 1t has been
said balloon cannot resist the pres
sure of the air and that Ii must be torn
TO pieces after a short passage through
the air. II has been established that a
well-coastructed balloon OF elongated
form. can travel without any danger,
for a very long distance, and that by
increasing sne sosidity Of the material
or which II is made, this danger can be
entirely removed. think that the bal
loon which will finally solve the prob
lem Will be one OF an even more eiong-
ated form than any that have been
seen up to the present. 1t vii, have a
screw, because that is che best means
of propulsion known and this screw win
be moved by an electric motor. because
/ none OF the objections 10 she other
notors-stearn. gas. compressed air and
chemical rnotors-can be raised against
IT, The motor which viii solve the
problem VIII have to be very much
lighter than those known today. But
whilst / believe that the balloon of the
future Will be worked by electricity, I
do not see why experiments should net
be continued with the steam motor, for
by the use OF eondensatoe-s. such as
were suggested and but fer his IN
fortunate death would have been ex
perimentsd upon by Henri Giffard. and