The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1897-09-09

~shaped-that is, it is cylindrical in
torm-until near its ends, where it
tapers to blunt points. 1t has two
wings at each end, about fourteen feet
long and four feet wide; tapering at
the ends like a birds. The wings do
not go round at an ven speed, but have
a beat like that of a birds wing. The
machine Uses for power hot air and
liquid ftiel. The framework, under the
cylinder, in which the engineer and
plot work, gives the machine a total
height of eight feet. It is understood
that Mr.. John st. Paul, the inventor
OF this machine, claims that when it is
perfected, which he expects to do in
TWO or three months, that it will be
arie to navigate the air at a speed of
one hundred miles an hour easily.
PROFESSOR Samuel P. Langley, secre-
tary OF the Smithsonian Institute, who
mas been making experiments in aerial
navigation, thus writes to the New
YORK Herald on this subject:
Regarding the feasibility of aerial
navigation for passenger transporta-
ZION n commercial purposes, there
can be no question. 1 have lemon
strated the practicability of the air
snip, as has been described at length
IN various publications. l am confident
mat the right principles of construc-
tion nave been arrived at, and, in my
opinion 1t will only be a matter of a
snort time, possibly a few years, be-
fore air ships will be in common use
1or purposes of reconnoitering in war
ana Tor Individual transportation gen.
orally. Larger air ships will ultimately
&c constructed on rational models and
with the strength Of materials and mo-
tive power perfectly adjusted, and
these ships will be used for freight and
general transportation"
While popular interest has to som
extent been aroused on the problem of
aerial navigation, it is interesting at
this time to refer to the first practical
experiments made by the original in
ventors of the balloon, the Montgolfer
brothers-more than one hundred
years ago. The brothers were devoted
students, and took great interest in
mathematics, natural philosophy and
chemistry. In the course of their stud
les they had read of the many attempts
that had been made to navigate the
air. 1t was while watching and con-
versing about the clouds that these
young men first conceived the idea of
a practicable balloon. The clouds rose
to the upper regions, and foated there,
simply because they were lighter than
the lower air; why, then, could they
not make an artificial cloud, and send
it up inclosed in a bag? They first at
tempted to do this by filling a p
balloon with hydrogen gas. 1t rose
slowly to the ceiling of their parlor;
but, owing to the rapid escape of the
gas, 1t remained there but a few Sec
onds, and then descended to the floor.
They tried this experiment frequently,
but no bag which they could make
would retain this ethereal gas long
enough for their purpose.
Then they thought of the rapid as
cent of common smoke. Their bag of
cloud had failed; why not try a bag of
smoke? In November, 1882, Joseph
Montgolfier procured a large silk bag,
balloon-shaped with an opening at the
bottom. Making a fire of paper, he
caused his balloon to be held over It,,
so as to receive the smoke and hot air.
Very soon he had the delight Of seeing
the balloon swell, until it was fully
distended. When it was let go it
mounted rapidly to the height of sew
enty-five feet, there remained station
airy for several minutes, and then slow
ly descended to the earth. Overjoyed at
this result, Joseph fastened to CON-
municate it to his brother, and they
proceeded Immediately to try the ex-
pertinent on a larger scale.
A globe of coarse linen, thirty feet
in diameter, lined with their own
paper, was soon ready for trial. A fire
was lighted and the balloon was sus-
pended over it. The imitation pro-
ceeded rapidly until it required the
strength of three men to hold the bal
loon down, and when it was let go, it
leaped into the air at a prodigious
speed and scared as high as the lower
stratum of clouds, when it was waited
by the wind beyond their gaze.
Having brought their invention to
this point, the brothers determined to
give a public exhibition. On a beautiful
day in June, 1888, a great of
people attended to witness it. A body
of learned men, who CHANGED to be
in session in a neighboring town, were
present. as well as all the nobility of
the vicinity. A large balloon of linen
hung loose from three crossed poles,
with the orifice toward the ground. A
fire of small bundles of chopped straw
was lighted, which generated the
smoke so fast that in five minutes the
balloon looked as though it would
burst, and it was all that eight stout
men could do to hold it. The signal
balloon rose rapidly, and, with an &C
CELEBRATED motion, amid the huzzas Of
the multitude. 1t continued to ascend,
until it had reached the height of a
mile, where it was caught by the wind
and carried away to a vineyard a mile
and a half from the starting place. The
assemblage was transported with Won
der and delight, and hailed the
brothers as men who had done honor
to France by a grand discovery.
A report of this exhibition was trans
mitted to Paris, and thence to the other