The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-08-11
BALLOONS USE IN WAR.
THE EyROPEfN f,D 7HE iNERT-
GIN U.fy or CONsTRtCTION.
Capt. classford's Enthusiasm as To the
Employment of Air ships In War
Ship Now building in the West


climate. and be more tractable sian the
oid Gen. Niger. At the present tine, The
War Department is without an ayalablh
balloon capable OF ascending 10 height
whence obscrN atoms could be taken of
Tie fortiucationS OF an enemy. and ih"
want is felt severely at Fort Loyal,
where there are several members o. iNe
United states signal Corps detailed 10:
instruction Since their arrival dhd nc
lcgisn iIe of practice the hcrondnts nav"
hac a hard time. and their diihculdts NC
Only bcgluning. Ready 10 lace the ptih6
Of The unknown upper atmosphere ticiI
courage could not be questioned. but wien
a. came 10 the unusual task OF pptfdNne
"a sewing machine ana taxing thch luI ~
IA the neC1le. there was not man aNols
them tfat did not shrink from the test
= he duty is not regarded as "tr.cuy
within the puryiew a. the ssna! COPS,
but tho circumstances are such tndt IL
was deemed t.c only way IN whlch inc
amy could be- supplied with q safe ana
stable balloon. Balloon making ~ 10 ~
fauf Industry that does not thrive ~
the present degenerate day, and after the
VIE king OF several AR Nar-fnipS tht
department concluded that The only way
TO secure satisfactory service Nas 20
buckle down 10 the drcssmaking Dusi-
ness. ana show the government at wan
" gtCN what could be done where 'nthu-
siasm led the way.
Accoriif gly Capt. Glassford. chief Sig
nal DflCor OF the Department OF the Colo.
furnished list Of material that tcarcriy
saVOrcd of anything in the linc OF muiil-
tons of war. First of all ne called Tor
So yards OF pOug"r SILK. nineteen inches
wide. OF the class that usually sells FOR
from 30 10 - cents yard according
10 the unique wording OF the advertise
ment. To get this in shape for the re-
Quircments of tha acrOnauts the speci-
neat gus are supplemented Icy three uYzcn
spools 81 six thr"l J. ten pounds Of cotton
rOIe. thirty pounds Of cotton twine. twca-
ty-hvc gallons of pure linseed on, twen-
ty-nvc gallons OF bonzine. and one valve.
With these materlis at their disposal
the men are now Experimenting ola the
use Of various kinds Of needles that not
having been embraced IN tie fpecihca-
lions. Will have TO be contributed by tho
lien.
The proposed balloon will be new nc.
Iarturc in the annals OF the army, al
heretofore an such devices have come
through the agency Of importers Capt.
GlaSstord conceived the idea that a bal
loon Of superior quality could Doe made IA
Colorado. and rs the initial step ordered
this radical move. The preparation OF
material fer a war balloon has been a
tedious process. inv4ving patience and
the possession or lOt OF technical lore
that the war Department bowed To az the
chief attribute of long experience IA Lu-
rope. capt. GlassfCrl is too practical o.
allow The experience of others 10 serve e
a stumbling block now that be las de
Inors trated that the costly meworanOus
construction is not essential. The old
way has been 20 use eold-beatcrs' skin
fabric at "A cost Of about 81 SOJ. TGa
membranes from which the fabric IS
fCfmcd are obtained from the cntrdils Of
The bullock. Each animal furnishes Il
membrane from Is 10 80 inches long and
10 10 20 inches wide. The membranes
are saited until ready for use. ana are then
placed In a vessel of soft water 10 which
a peculiar kind of glue. obtained from the
Caspian Sea sturgeon. lis adj led 10 give
an adhesive quality. To make the en-
xflfg Of Ia. N..II
cloth Is prepared The surLgce If The
model is oiled and then the inflated model
has scanolding built around IT, unou
which workmon may stand i'm placing
the membranes. Each membrane is
taken from the water and stretched upon
the surface of the model and smo0thCI
down. The cdees are allowed to overlap.
20 That when the hrSf layer is rOmpl ted.
the entire model is covered with an enve-
lCIe. forming "A homogeneous whole. 4
second and third layer is supcrimposed
on the first AMI second In similar manner.
after which ribbons of the same material
about an irch wide are laid ike lattice
work over the third layer. forming dia-
mond-shapcc figures. This precaution is
taken 10 prevent the balloon from tear
irg. Jhree mere layers Of skin arc added.
and tn body Of the great air traveller IS
completed TIE cotton model IS then
drawn ont through the neck OF the skin
envelope after having been separated
from the pattern by forCc Of air pumped
between the two \ circular opening Is
cut an the top Of the air ship for the
valve, the netting is adjusted 90 the out
night
So much for tho European method.
which is noted for the dclcacy and exact
ness OF every detail. Failure Of any part
Of the infnitcsimal detail might develop
faults that would result i'm the condom-
nation of the vessel after completion. and
the whole tedious operation would have
10 be done over again. Can't. Glasslorl
nl a lfl.
achinc for the practical use of The war.
and after long series OF observations
concluded that the ordinary balloon of
the PARIS ana gardens would suffice al
lcasl for the experimental purpose 81
the balloon school at Fort Logan lie
preached tho subject to Gen. Greedy. and
That officer promptly acquiesced I'm the
suggestion. GlassfOId then had 10 con-
slider the art Of manufacturing. and I'm
course Of inquiry ran across Ivy Bald
n. Che professional aorOnaut. whom ne
induced TO enlist In the army. so as 10
give the government the full benefit Of
his lifelong experience. 4 close Jcquaint-
ance that amounted to intimacy sprang
up between the men. for the rieid rules.
OF the army failed to keep them at the
usual long distance range that exists be-
tween officers and the men of the rank.
Long conferences We're held away rom
military lines. where the discipline would
not have sanctioned the protracted inter
course
Glassford was an enthusiast lie rcle-
gated the distIf ctiOns of rank 10 the
background In his desire 20 perfect him
felf In the art Of sailing through the
air. During the talks IL developed that
the practical acrOnaut had the utmost
contempt for the theories of the hide
bound officers OF the line and with his
customary daring told the Captain that
he could give the whole OUTFIT pointers for
the management OF the air vessels az Il
1.-THE OF the present expense. GlassfOrd
fell in with the idea. and after the usual
dcfcrential correspondence with head
quarters was given carte blanche TO hu-
NOR the new pupil who proposed 20 teach
the men who Were making study Of war
a speciality. In return for the valuable
information the Captain gave Baldwin
instructions in typewritng. signalling ac-
cording 10 the wig Wag" system, and
the operation Of the hellOgraph so that
IN the event of warfare the balloolist
would be perfectly equipped 10 make a
voyage across the face of an enemy =
camp ana carr on correspondence with
forces On earth.
Baldwin proved him self an adept IN no
business, and now knows as much OF the
balloon and signal business as If he had
- cnt his entire life al West Point or
Fort Myer. Va. From him came the fuC-
gcsfion that permanent headquarters for
the balloon stan be established. and s'om
that point Instructions could be given
men ~ the Signal Corps from 9th sr de-
partmentf OF the army This was accei-
cd 90. and the plant at Fort Logan was
begun with tho construction of a sas-cen-
Grating apparatus that was designed 10
furnish a supply n volatile VapOr to other
der arimcnts IN need Of a stock OF gas.
From Fort Logan graduates an the
science Of ;crOstatics were &c be sent
wherever the requirements Of The army
called. and hence would emanafe the bal
loon drill corps which Gen Greelv pro-
posed 70 SEND out TO the different posts