The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-08-22

From the T:mes-Herald.

From the T.mes-Herah
Boston. Aug. 2l.-lf the plans of Profes-
sor William A. Eddy. OF Bergen, N. j..
prove successful, he will not care whether
any one invents u flying machine or not.
He will accomplish his purpose sattsrac-
torly by sending his tools Of trade up In
The air by means of kites. The expert
ment In scientific khe-hyang conducted
last summer from the top OF Blue hll
served to attract wide attention through
out the country. At that time Professor
Eddy sent up Ja.llesS Malay kites IN re-
lays, the object beng to probe scientific
points as to wand ana electricity. He has
for several years followed these eXperi-
ments for the purpose of studying tine
laws OF upper atmospheric currents, teln-
peratures of high attitudes and other KIN
dred matters. Last Saturday MIR. Eddy
appeared at Blue Hin observatory more
thoroughly equipped than last year, with
| apparatus for the prosecution OF his spe-
cal studies. He brought eighteen Malay
kites, the majority of them from seven
to n'ne feet In height, built exceedingly
Light, but strong. The frames are OF the
lightest Of pine. covered with thin but
tough tissue paper. AS last year. the ex-
periments Will include the sending up of
Instruments for recording thermOmetric
and barometr!c conditions.
-:Il:---
a novel Idea this year Is the use or q
camera, attached to the kite strings. This
is not new Idea, for some experiments
OF this sort were made by h. Douglas
Archibald. of the Royal Meteorological
society, in 1854. Mr.. Archibald did not,
| however. pursue his experiments in this
line. perhaps on account of the great diff
Guilty found IN producing satisfactory re-
suits. From an altitude of $50 feet, a pho
tograph taken by Professor Eddy with
, small camera showed with considerable
d.stsnctness the panorama of the earth
Directly below. One taken ut an estimated
altitude of W feet was much better than
the first and probably the most success.
ful photograph ever taken In the world
| from such an altitude and under such
conditions, Mr. Eddy hopes to demon
graphs as a useful adjunct to the equip
| ment of an army. The line of vision from
| the top of the Blue Hll, at an altitude OF
| Gao feet. - limited to a horizon of about
thlrty-three miles. At an altitude of 2.6O(
| feet above this level such as was reached
| today by Mr.. Eddy's kites, the line OF
| horizon is of course. greatly extended
| A photograph. successfully taken at such
an altitude, would, it Is claimed, show
| at least the clouds of dust arising from
| an advancing army, and thus Disclose Its
| approach aud Its whereabouts, greatly to
| the advantage of its opponents.
--:l:-
| But these IDEAS in photography are Sec
ondary only to those in barometry. to be
| followed n the experiments now In prog
of these experiments was made. A relay
| of kites was sent up by Mr. Eddy. assisted
| by Observers Clayton and FERGUSON. The
prime object OF the experiment was the at
| ta'nment of the greatest possible attitudes
| for purposs Of scientific observation. II
| Is obvious that in ordinary kite flying the
| attitudes reached must be licnited, on ac-
| count of the weight of string which the
| kite must of necessity carry. MIR. Eddy
Overcomes This difficulty by attaching
| fresh kites to the main cord at frequent
| intervals. these secondary kites serving as
| pages to carry the weight Of the cord to
| which the first Is attached, At $50 a. M
| q relay kite was sent up, followed by two
| others attached to the same cord. Next
| was attached a small basket containing
the thermograph. This attained an alti.
| tude ut first OF about 800 feet but this
| was gradually increased until a height OF
| nearly 1000 feet was reached. The Kites
remained stationary for some time, the
wind not being sufficiently strong to carry
| additional kites. At II o'clock, however
| the wind freshened. and a large nine-foot
| kite was Joined to the cord. This ascended
| readily and ia pidly and o second and third
| were successively added. until six kites
| three on each side of the thermograph
were attached to the cord. Merr.ly these
| went skyward. until at 1l.45 an altitude
| Of fully 600 feet above the hilltop, or :. .24t
| feet above the sea level, had been reached
This height Is but little short of the high.
est altitude reached in the experiments OF
last year. Mr.. Eddy is confident OF soma
| important results from the experiments
| this season.