Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-02-27
BALLOONS IN WAR TIMES.
During the Siege of fiaris GO Ascendst
From the City and Ouly 8 Were Lost.

During the Siege of faris GO Ascendsd
From the City and Ouly Were Lost.
The last big European war taught the
French more about ballooning than they
would otherwise have learned In genera
ton. At the beginning Of the war the
government rejected many proposals from
balloon makers to construct a number Of
war balloons, but when they were shut up
in Paris they gladly turned to the balloon
to help them. They turned all their dis
used stations into balloon factories and
sought the services of the few experienced
aeronauts then available for the Teaching
Of the use and management of the balloon
TO the people. During four months 66 bal
looms left Paris, of which number only
three have never been Accounted for. This
is remarkable when 1t is remembered that
no lights were allowed in night ascensions,
and. the balloons could only be sent up
under cover of darkness.
One hundred and sixty persons, includ-
ing Gambetta, were carried safely over the
Prussian lines, and 2,500, 900 letters were
sent. The balloons also took with them
pigeons, which were sent back to Paris
with letters and dispatches. The messages
were written and photographed down very
small on exceedingly thin paper. This was
rolled up, inserted in quill and attached
to the tail feathers of the pigeon. When
1t was received in Paris, the photograph
was put under microscope and the mes
sage read One of tie balloons, the Vile
d. Orleans, left Paris at 11o'clock at night
and arrived near Christlana 15 hours later,
having crossed the North sea In its re-
markable voyage. Most Of the aeronauts
were sailors, who were chosen because of
their familiarity with the management
and steering Of boats at sea, and they
proved very capable. During the entire
siege balloons formed the only means of
communication with the outside world for
the imprisoned inhabitants, and nothing
| could have taken their place.
Since then ballooning has been made an
important branch of military study, and
the course through which the ballooning
corps has to pass is becoming daily more
scientific and severe. The war balloon
must be compact, always ready for action
and very strong. 1t is not large enough
for two. 1t is always oaptive-that is, II
is secured to the earth by a cable 1t Ii
seldom emptied of Its gas and is therefore
always ready for action at moments no
| UAOo' 1HO VI u
besides the balloon itself, consists essen.
TALLY of two wagons, one large and heavy,
somewhat resembling lumber truck, and
the other considerably smaller. The for
mer is used to fasten the balloon to and is
provided with large reels containing about
1900 yards Of twisted wire rope. The
smaller wagon is filled with iron pipes
containing gas and is technically called
the tube wagon.
At the word of command the balloon,
already inflated, is released and bounds
upward to the height of several hundred
feet, uncoiling the rope after it. The off.
Ger in the car takes up with him maps Of
the surrounding country and fleldglass.
The position and arrangement of the en-
emy are marked down on the maps with
different colored pencils, indicating cav
airy, infantry, etc. These marked maps
are then placed in leather bag which il
attached to a ring, which slides down the
cable to the ground, where mounted Off
Ger awaits it and carries the message tc
the general in command. Other means oi
communicating the information have beer
tried, such as by telephone and photog
raphy, but many officers still cling to the
oolored pencil method, which, they say, i.
very sure and effective. Chicago Record