The morning times., 1896-07-26

from one point In the fIeId to another By
. movement OF the reel carriage.
The solution OF the problem, OF how to m
the balloon 10 only Of recent data. One OF
the chief reasons why they were mot moro
frequently and effectually Nsad during the
late war was because 1t required almost
an entire day TO manufacture the gas ON the
field. Apparatus for speedily making gas
Is now part OF Uncle Sans balloon depart.
ulent supplies. H. - - 10 >,
tits scomprsssed in steel cylinders that are
transported over the territory on the reel
wagon. The capacity of each cylinder 10
oDecubic foot OF air under malconditons.
The gas In compressed tosuch u degree, bow
ever, that from 20 to 200 cubic feet can be
stored In each cylinder.s
Upon first observation 1t would seem that
the practicabiity OF the balloon would be
suddenly and ignoniniously cut short by
q few bullets from the rifles Of some Of
the sharpshooters. But such Is not the case,
and the martial aeronaut has little to fear
unless perchance a bullet should do him.
personal injury. The rent made by the
missile does little damage. Stin more trl-
portaDt is the fact that all Of the bullet
holes are on the undefside, while the main
pressure Of the gas is against the upper
surface.
NO DANGER FROM BULLETS.
The balloon has then really only one enc
my, the army men say, and that is not a
formidable one. It Is the cannon The. ef-
feet a shell would have on the great bag
Is readily Imaginable. Yet it would. in
most cases, he Impossible to use cannon
or mortar without digging q hole in the
ground in order to secure the proper angle
while the balloon Is at a high altitude.
This would be slow and difficult work, and
1t is not to be supposed that the bailoonist.
who has such an excellent birdseye view
of all below him, would he insensibIe TO the
intent of his enemies. On discovery OF the
danger he could easily dispatch to his
friends below, and a slight change in the
position of the balloon would necessitate a
complete reversion OF the cannon's position
in the enemy's camp.
1t is considered that an altitude of about
4,3O0 yards will put a balloon outside the
effective range of field artillery, without
being SO far off that 1t prevents the point
which 1t is desired to examine being dis
tinguishable. In famous trial made by
the Austrians about one year ago an aggre-
gate OF % 900 bullets and shells were fired
at balloon during the course OF the ex-
periments, and when all was over the great
object floated as sereneiy as when the firing
first began.
II is generally conceded that this govern
ment Is still slow in advancing money for
the carrying out OF scientific projects.
Repeatedly bills have been introduced in
Congress to raise money to assist some
inventor in carrying out the solution of
the balloon question. The latest bill was
submitted June 1 of this year. 1t was ST.
offered by Senator Peffer
in the Senate and Representative Meredith
of Virginia tu the House.
II provided that the government should
advance to Jamesseldon Cowdon of Vienna,
Fairfax county, Va, the sum of 900,
to be used for the construction of balloon.
1t was pointed out in the bill that the gov
ernment had assisted Samuel F. b. Morse
in his scientific experiments. Neither bill
was ever reported upon
A bill to the same effect was once intro
duced by Senator Cockrell, and a report
followed, but it was not passed upon in
Congress.