St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1896-07-11
USEFUL kiIE-FLylpso

Used - 11fo-0nvoe It - ona h 0ue.
vsyiA6.
People have been 50 wont to regard
kites - mere toys and kite-flying - 4
mere amusement that, although the
great Franklin made it serve = useful
scientific purpose in his famous ex.
pertinent with kite and key in drawing
electricity from the clouds, few have
really seen the real possibilities Of
kites as factors in human progress.
An article by Prof. J. Woodbridge
Davis, entitled: 1.-THE Kite as a Life
Saver at Sea-" describes . mode Of rem
dering kites dirigible and of great
strength in fight, invented by the au-
thor Of that interesting paper.
Some of the experiments therein
described are, indeed, remarkable. Mr..
Moffett's paper sets forth other uses to
which kites can be put. First, he gives
plain deductions for making taiiless
kites. these being preferable for most
of the purposes named, and also gives
directions for manipulating kites,
which show that perfection in the art Of
making kites to be reached only by
patient aspirante. But when suffi-
cient skill il attained, the kite may be-
come an important appliance in the
study of atmospheric phenomena; in
fact, by its aid important contributions
to meteorological science have been
made already.
Another useful purpose is the taking
of birds eye photographs. Several ex-
amples of views taken from high alti-
tudes by means Of kites, by Mr.. Eddy,
OF Bayonne, n. J. (yclept by Mr.. Moi
felt, the king of kite hyers"). illus
trate the practicability Of the kite ~ an
aid Of photography. These views show
that in military engineering, and per-
haps in other branches of engineering,
the kite can now take rank among
scientific appliances for surveying.
The apparatus employed for taking
from high attitudes 10 de-
scribed as follows:
"A wooden frame capable of holding
the camera has attached to it long
stick, or broom, by means Of which the
il made to point in any desired
direction or angle. This IL arranged
before sending up in the apparatus, the
broom being properly placed and held
in position by means of guy cords from
the main kite line. A separate line
hangs from the spring of the camera
shutter, with which il also connected
\ hollow ball of polished metal, sup
ported in such a way that il will drop
from its position five or six feet through
the air, when the camera cord II pulled.
The purpose of this ball il to be sure
that the camera has responded to his
pull. and that the desired photograph
has been taken. He is assured of this,
having given the pull, on seeing the
fash made by the polished ball in its
fall.
"All this being arranged, IL il only
to send the camera up to any
desired altitude and pull the camera
cord, in order to get photographs of
landscapes, extensive
.ities, like New York, and panoramas
If every description. Such photographs
could not but be of the greatest value
to geologists, mountain climbers, sur
'eyors and explorers. And they must
possess particular interest for students
If geography and for mapmakers.
THE application to military recon-
,oissance il obvious, and the greater
Of the kite, N compared
With captive balloons hitherto en-
,loyed for this purpose, is also recog-
lized.
"Mr. Eddy regards it a. perfectly
,ossible to send up tandem of kites.
rom the deck Of . man-of-war, with a |
circular camera, such as has already
,een devised, attached to the main line,
md an apparatus for swapping all the
hutters simultaneously. and photo
,raph, not only the whole horizon a.
cen from the deck of a vessel, but, be- |
ause of the greater elevation, many |
niles beyond. A battle ship provided |
With this Photographic device would
njoy as great advantage as II It were
BILE ut will to stretch out its MAIN
mast into tower of observation mile |
Ugh.
1T II true that some of the lenses
n the circular camera-the ones facing
he sun-might give imperfect pictures,
nut, in whatever position the sun might
e. at least $50 degrees of the horizon
'ould be clearly photographed. And
y taking such observations in the early
and again in the middle of the
it would be possible to cover
he whole circuit, and thus be aware of
he approach Of an enemy's ships before
hey would have been visible to tele-
cope used on the deck. In such cir
ular camera each lens would be num-
cred, and the position Of each would
Q accurately determined with regard
} the points OF the compass by the use
{ guyc0rds stretching out from the
lain line to the framework of the APP
aratus. Thus, on looking at the num-
er of the lens, the photographer would
know the vessel photo
raphed. "-Engineering Magazine.
CHURCH THIEVES.