davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

skin. After being In use a little more than two
years 1t rotted to such an extent as to become
unserviceablc. This experience will probably
result in the abandonment CT this material.
The balloons lately ord.red and now In use arc
made OF silk.
After the Exposition the balloon park was
established at Fort Riley. Kan. But this local
ity was soon aband oned because OF the prevail
Ing high winds, which rendered ascensions i'm
practicable for many days In the year. The
park is now. located at Fort Logan. near Den
yer. Col.
The permanent plant consists, Of, ana apoa'
ratus for generating hydrogen gas from zinc or
iron turnings by the use OF sulphuric acid. the
compressor for forcing gas into the tubes at n
pressure OF from 100 to 100 atmospheres. and
the balloon house. a building large enough To
contain an inflated balloon. In this way n
balloon NAV be used for many days without re.
filling. and at the same time De protected from
the weather.
The material for the fold consists Of the bal
loon. OF about $4,000 cubic feet contents. the
hand reel and $500 yards of wire cable. and the
steel cylinders for the compressed gas. Each
cylinder is eight feet long and has the contents
Of one cubic foot. The.telegraph. tele phone.
and Photographic instruments.
The basket-is suspended on the trapeze prin-
ciule. and Is an Improvement ION both the
French and the:Russian systems.
Six wagons are required to TRANSPORT the ma
ter!al. One is for the balloon and reel. four
wagons for gas. Each wagon carries thirty
four Of the steel cylinders. 1t requires the gas
from three wagons to initiate the balloon. The
fourth is held in reserve to replenish leakage.
The escort wagon contains the spare balloon
and the various tools and Implements.
The wagons are all of.thc pattern known as
the army escort wagon slightly modified
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

in 1851. We have balloons. gas. and wagons,
or are In q fair way 10 get them: but the i'm
portant point of providing the man behind the
gun-more properly. the man In the balloon
has received but little attention. It will not do
to defer these questions until war Is u pom us.
The more complicated and scientific war be-
comes. the more difficult It is to devise means
to meet its e2igencies.
We are unique among nations in that the
vital question. What shall constitute a war
footing for our army, las never been consid-
ored or settled By our Government. II we
went to war tomorrow no man In or out of
the Government could say what number of
men shall constitute a company. troop. bat
terry. egimen or any of the higher units of
for our army in war. Yet on the
definite settlement Of these primary figures
Of organization must depend the arrangement
OF all the Indispensable supply Departmental.
viz. ordnance. ouartermaster's. commits
sary's. and medical.
To return TO the particular question of a bal
loon detachment Oh n peace footing. 1t should
be under a signal officer. who should have I'M
der him one company OF three officers and the
T Eulation number of men. There should be
besides an officer as theoretical and practical
Instructor in observing. and a number of Lieu
tenants under instruction.
These officers should be detail I'd from the
line only for periods sufficient to perfect them
in n knowledge of their particular duties.
Only Officers who.take a special interest In this
duty should be detailed.
A special course OF observing might be made
n part Of the instruction at the infantry and
cavalry school at Fort Leavenw worth. where
the largest number O. officers at any one post
in the army is to be found. A balloon datach.
men. II not stationed ..permnnen.ly at Forb
Leaven worth. might make annual visits to the
school Of sufficient length TO allow the student.
officers an opportunity for practical experience
in lalloon!ng.
The cost OF a fully equipped balloon detach-
ment Is considerably less than that of q light
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

NOTHING the system was almost a total fail
ure. and was abandoned after little more than
two years Of bunglInG experiments.
This failure was due en- ;irely to the lack Of
a corps OF competent. thorouRhly instructed
military observers. The impression seemed
to prevail that aeronauts constituted n new
and highly scientific close corporation. and
that they. and only they. could make observl-
tions properly from a balloon In the air. As
a matter OF fact. the aeronauts were destitute
OF any military instruction or ex Experience. They
did not understand what they saw, and from
their ignorance of military terms. and words
could not describe intelligent!y even what they
comprehendcd. When they saw n body Of
the enemy. they did ut know whether II was
n company or reglment. a brigade or a corps.
Ana as for diyining the Intentions of the enemy
from HIS formations and move nents. this was
naturally entirely beyond them.
Gen. Fifty John Porter and Lieut.. Comstock
OF the Engineers we're both excellent observ-
,rs. They we're officers of unusual ability. and
devoted themselves with energy aud zeal to
acquiring tho necessary knowledge and expe-
Renee. Beth Frequently made repcrts Of
great value. but whenever anything OF I'M
usual Importance occurred. as the enemJ'S
movements on the eve OF a battle. q profession
al aerOnaut usually assembled to observe.
The Ia u appearance Of a balloon In the war
was al charlottesville. where Lowe assembled.
He dates his report BALLOON In the Air. Nay
!. 1858. 2:l5 +. NJ" After a confused and
hay description or the field. in which lie
mentioned great volumes OF smoke. and al
luded to the probability that large bodies were
engaged on both sides. he closed with these
words: This would be a good time for some
stan officer to ascend. II II is desirable to you"
In this sentence he clearly admits his in
ability TO report what hc saw. This Il a strlE-
ing example OF the folly OF expe ,tinI clear and
reliable reports from unframed observers.
Gen. Z. +. Alexander OF the Confederate
army says; II never Understood wins the en-
envy [Federalsl abandoned the use Of military
balloons early In 1868, after having used
them extensively up 10 thet time. Even n
she observers never saw anything. they would
have been worth all they cost for the annoy
anCe and delays they caused US In trying TO
keep our movements out of sight"
II Ii Of interest to note how slow the great
military nations OF Europe have been 10 util-
iZe the leksnns which our experience might
have taught them. In the great wars nT 1860.
1870. and 1877. neither Germany. France. nor
Russia put n tLorouGhly organized and
equipped balloon detachment In the field.
But OF late years there has been q great awak-
enIng TO tho importance OF this subject. Now,
every nrst-class military power has equipped
aerostatic parks. and 10 busy In developing
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

loon, the invention OF Lieut.. Won sieRefeld.
has been lately introduced. and lie the best
military captive BALBOA vet devised. Its
PRINCIPAL parts are the cylinder. with homi.
spherical e~xtremites, the steering sack. and
the tackle for suspending tho basket and at
tachinG the cable.
The steering sack, shown in plate /. Nils
itself automasi ideally with air when the bal
loon rises. Its function is TO keep tho balloon
always with the head to the wind.
a chara c~terlstic feature is the absence Of
netting, which greatly reduces the weight to
DO sustained. A broad belt of heavy sail
cloth passes around the balloon a little below
and parallel to It's longer axis. To this belt
two independent systems of cordauc arc at
tachcd. THE one supporting the bnsket is red;
the cable system /. blue. The lines 10 the
valves arc red and blue.
This balloon made its first appearance in
the autumn manu,uvres Of 1894. when 1t was
described by our Military Attachr at Berlin.
Its advantages are: First. that it'rlses in
any wind; the weights are so adjusted that
the long cylinder floats at nm anglo of about
twenty degrees to the horizon. with the head
up; the wind. acting on the lower surface.
causes the balloon to rise on the same principle
that a Elite rises. Secondly. that 1t is never
thrown downward, as IL frequently the case
With ball balloons; that It can DO used in
winds with n velocity rs high rs sixty miles an
hour: that IL does not spin, but lies seadily
in the wind, like a ship at anchor In n current.
This balloon has been greatly improved since
lite first appearance in the fold. Tho latest
Improvement Is the addition of n small auxil-
larry balloon, with kite. tail attachment. The
object Of this device Is to increase It's steadi-
ness in high winds. Lieut.. Won Siegsfeld has
also devised several smaller balloons on the
same model, to be used for supporting electric
lights Cor signal purposes and for sustaining
meteorological Instruments Al great elevations.
These would be very useful for fleet signalling
in the navy.
The German balloon park. or Air Ship d.
vision" as II Is called. was ork anizcd IN 1885.
It Is attached TO the railroad brigade. and is
directly under the orders OF the chief Of tho
great general staff. Its personnel consists OF
one field officer as commandant. one complete
company on IA peace footing. two instructors In
Observing. and eleven officers under instruo-
tiou as observers.
Tho course of instruction Ia divided into phys
ical and mental. In the first the officers are
p%ractised In making ascensions In all kinds of
weather. Some men can never accustom
themselves to the swayinG and spinning of a
balloon In high winds. They become violently
Su,h men arc promptly sent back TO their regi-
ments and replaced by others with stronger
heads and stomachs.
In the mental instruction the officers must
study the march and battle formation OF all
military nations and must learn 10 deduce cor
rect military conclusions from imperfect Oh
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

The Aeronauti al Corps seems to have been
a semi-civic volunteer institution. with no
definite military status. Each balloon train.
in immediate charge OF its professional aero.
naut. was ACCOMPANIED by an officer with q
detail OF soldiers. who acted as escort and
general assistants to the aeronaYt.
illuminating gas was used in lie ajcensions
from the defenccs of Washington; in ths
field. hydrogen. This gas was generated IN
Iron tanks. carried on wagons. by treating iron
turnings with sulphur!c acid.
The balloons were all OF the captive class
that Is. made fast TO the ground. No ascen.
sions greater than n thousand feet were made.
as that was the length OF the longest cable
used. But this was sufficient to command a
view OF allsthe inequalities of ground oecu-
pied by the enemy. No observations from
free flight. sailing over the enemy. seem to
have been attempted.
AT the very outset OF the war. the ma .erial
Of the balloon train--was excellent com pared
to that OF the rest OF our equipment. Its
vehicles were as mobile and handy Us any OF the
General transport. The corps could initiate and
make ascensions wherever the army could
march. Yet as q practical means of recon-
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

tsinly the only one without ~privatss. But ~
Il lie going to handle balloons II must abandon
this unique distinction. and get somo men. II
Congress will not ~leRislate them, probably the
line Of the army. who do the dirty work Of
marching. killing, and being Killed, might
lend them.
The next question is, how We are e. supply
the necessary corps OF trained and instructed
obser GERS in war. AS vet, this question has
not been considered. 1t lie important to have
n good gun. but tho man behind the gun"
must not be forgotten.
The entire subject OF organization. person.
mel, selection and instruction OF observers for
our balloon detachments is aS YET in a nebu-
lous condition.. We are Just where wo were
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
battery. but its usefulness in war might DO
vastly greater.
vuINERABIMTv or BALLOONS.

v~ULNERABILlTy OF BALLOONS.
The general impression prevails that bal
looms will he in great danger OF being DESTROYED
by the fire of the enemy in war. This Is u
mistake. A balloon in the air is a very diff
suit target to hit. Captive balloons in war
will generally be attacked by field artillery
firing shrapnel. AL.slort ranges. II the bal
loon is allowed TO fly high. the guns cannot DO
elevated sufficiently TO roach it. The same Is
equally true--at long ranges. when the gun
must DO elevated to nearly its limit TO get the
range. 4 balloon Mt these ranges. several
thousand feet In the air. IL entirely out of
reach. The difficulties OF striking q balloon
are greatly Increased when it is kept in mo-
ton. IL the cable wagon be constantly driven
In any direction and the reel worked at the
=. mo time, so rs TO play the balloon up and
down through n distance OF several hundred
feet, the artillery will have a very difficult
target to hit.
Even when struck by artillery rroiectiles.
n 2allOon does not come down with n rush. but
settles gradually to the earth, and In most
instances the observer In the Lusket. unless ao.
tually struck. would not he hurt.
A great number of experiments with artillery
fire against captive balloons have been trie In
the last few years. As the result IL NAV no
sta,ed thnt u balloon Is safe at n distance of
four thousand PAGES, a llttlo over two miles.
and Mt an r'evation OF eight hundred yards.
A trained and skilled observer. with the best
glasses. can distinguish tho three arms and
roughly estimate numbers, In ordinary wealth.
or. ut from eight 10 nine miles. Hence, after
keeping out Of range, the observer can see six
or seven miles IN the rear OF the cnemy's adj
vance artillery.
In A. experiment IN England. n balloon an
ClIorei nj short range md low eleN atiOA, un-
der conditions most favorable 10 the gun. was
tifLy-stx Holes were made IN the cnVcip oe. soma
OF tLcm ~ large ~ IA mans head. The balloon
sank slowly nui dii not reach ;ne ground until
twenty minutes as'cr receiving these rents.
Ia GERMANY An infantry company, 80
men. attaCk"I - bnilton NJ an elevation OF 800
yards IL cam" 20 this grou.d In fifteen mill
utes and Lad II rec Thousand holes In the en-.
vclnpe. Representing about iiftecn hundred hits.
Each bullet probably made two hole
Holes In II . nlioOn Fan he pasted IN promptly
On the SPOT AID LOIS OF gas replea .ished from
tuhn wagons. 50 thHl IL need not necessarily re-
main out Il use far moro ihRn n few minutes.
As for the uhscrycr when eNpUSrd 10 artillery
Ire he IL probably safer IN the basket than when
on terra trma. ALall events, lie CannoL expect
10 have his l!fe Insured In II battle any moro
than hts comrades.
Frederick the Great gives rs "A war maxim:
You cannot pay too much for n good Spy"
We can say Lhis with equal truth to-day: We
tenn Il military DallOoning.
Captain Twelfth Infantry. U. u A.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

will give the German Kite balloon ana tho
cotton rubhcr-cnated fabric ut least II trial.
All that is needed is a liberal appropriation
from Congress-, with sufficient money. The
signal Corps can br relied an To furnish as
good material, as the world affords.
But who 10 to handle tUese interesting sci
enlIhc appliances when "" 20 TO war; Tie
entire question Of military LalloonlnG II as
signed 10 the Signal Corps by order. But by
n curious eccenIri, ity of our organization and
laws. that corps has no p~rivntes. IL Is COM
posed entirely OF commissioned officers aud
scrgrants. 1t Is probably the most exclusive
military organization In the world. aud GER
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

Ia ancient times men built watch tower at
mat expense fro which TO watch any hostile
|r'oach. Bat the Heights reached and the
Smman! Of view obtained were com oaratively
LA!l. Science in he last few years has given
ha means Of suddenly mounting u great ele-
Inaoas. from which every foot OF ground with
: reach of the most powerful field glasses can
= clearly seen. Formerly Generals could coz
pal their reserves and supports behind the re-
rsr'e slopes Of hills and ridges. but now all such
t''os!tions are rs visible 10 the observer In the
Sl!oon as II paraded on n horizontal plane.
Every Genera! In battle must think md ex-
''sss h' thoughts aud intentions by the move.
cents 81 his bIttalions and batteries. II he
sNais 10 attack or to retreat. TO turn a flank.
" % break a centre. he must dispose his troops
ifordlngly. To the trained and skilled staT
l,1ceF looking down on the field. a study OF
G'e dispositions Is an accurate revelation Of
ss "IT thoughts ardinteutinns of the enemy
% Immediately telegraphs them to his CON
lander. ~ho may parry the blow nud deliver
! counter strokr.
y ho"ly In late years that the advance IN
I"'astrr and tbs production OF seryiceable
A+NE"t fabrics haye rendered practicable
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

when two companies Of aeronauts were or
gained. One OF these, commanded by Capt.
Coutelle. was at the battle OF fleurus. lie
assembled tn a height. of 1900 feet, and sue.
c~esstully reported the strength aad move
ments Of tho Austrian army to the French
General. He says In his memoirs: THE bal
loon had a demoralizinG effect on the enemy,
who cam to the idea that he could do nothing
without being seem"
II Is strange that after this successful ex-
pertinent the balloon took no part in the ca n
paigns of Napoleon or in the Crimea. Sixty
FIVE years later. It reappeared in tho Italian
ca npaikn o: Napoleon ILL.,. but seems TO have
been forgotten again in the disastrous war
with Germany. The use of balloons In the
siege OF Paris belongs more TO the domain Of
The postal department than to military recon-
noissance.
France is now thoroughly alive IN the i'm
por lance of military ballooning.s She main
tair 5 perhaps the largest and most expensive
aerostatic park In the world: but, unfortu-
nately for the inGuisitive. the entire establish
ment is guarded with tie utmost ,ecrecy.
In war each i'm ~Dortant fortress and each
army COPS will haI ca balloon detachment.
The French balloon is made OF silk, coated
with a varnish whose composition Is secret.
The BASKET Is SWING on the trHpeze system.
between Lwo wooden spars. This method OF
swinRing IS supposed TO diminish swaying ard
sninning. Russia and the United States fol-
low the same system. Great Britain and the
nations in the Triple Alliance.suspend the bas-
ket directly from the iron ring to which the
net Is made fast. The reel is worked by n
steam engine. This and the gas generator
wagon are very heavy. and can be used only
on good roads. The French also have intro
duced lately the sy-rem OF carrying COM
pressed hydrogen In steel tubes. The observer
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

However numerous, brave. and excellent his
army aky he. yet. without this Information, he
Ih Ike ~Palyphemus Of old-strong. but blind.
CaGnei wars are a thing OF the past; here
Lter. vEr will mean the movement of nations
Ia arms In addition to laying tribute on all
,uilAbie physical force. war now presses into
Is sevice nearly every scientific discovery.
ssience o!ars its most important part in faci!i-
htnS The collection and transmission of infor-
milton in the field.
The next great war will present many appli-
atoms Of recent inventious. hitherto unknown
d the baltic field. Prominent amoae these
VII Be the military balloon. for the purpose Of
~Fssrviae the enemy's position and numbers.
.se observer. at an altitude OF several thousand
r. will telegraph or telephone his reports d.
RS to the commanding General. make Rapid
Issehes OF the ground AMI the enemy's posi-
Ton. and. by means OF instantaneous photogra-
aI, aided by a new appliance called a telobjec-
I've. which magnife. objects at a great distance
. n TO bring or minute details. he will be able
u furnish in n short time numerous photo
nphs with which TO illustrate the..report Of
|as position and strength which he has Just
'Ral by wire.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

works we'll in light winds, but cannot DO used
In winds OF more than twenty miles an hour.
In some winds it rises with difficulty and is fire..
aucntly thrown downward for many feet be-
fore recos erinR itself. 1t is also liable to spin
about its vertical axis 10 such an extent as to
render observing difficult or impossible. These
disadvantages are common to the spherical
balloons OF all services.
The hydrogen gas used for Initiating is car
rled l steel cylinders, one metre long and forty
centin.etrcs.in circnnterence..a lat a pre- sure OF
100 atniospheres. 1t is purchased in chemical
works in different parts of Germany. In which
hydrogen occurs rs n by-product. II costs 10
cents GER cubic metre, at n pressure Of $50 at
mosnhercs.
Three years ago there was an explosion Of
gas at the depot. Several hundred Of these
cylinders. filled. were piled like cordwo near
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

instantaneous photography is applied eXter-
sIvely in military lnilooning. photographs
taken VERT nlly downward are fairly good maps.
the scale OF which can be easily worked out.
The method Of taking photographs from the
lallu5n Is ingenious. y smell camera IS screwed
to the stock o: u gun with IA hammer lock.
TIE Observer puts the stock 10 h shoulder,
sights on the object. and makes the exposure
by pulling the trigger.
A picture of III" monument to the En-
perOr William WAS taken with a telescope
objective. II In said that pictures taken with
this instrument will show the details Of a
fortress. number and position of guns, &c. AT
a distance OF six miles.
In addition 70 the ball balloon, the kits bal
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

looms NJ q means OF rcconnoissance were made
IN the French revolutionary wars. in Ma
~poleon's ERyrtian expedition. and again In
the Sandman campaign Of 1859. But the
balloon as a practical factor In war
dates from 1851. At the outbreak Of the war
between the States, Mr.. Lincoln summoned
TO Washington for consultation the neronaut
Thaddeus Lowe. who afterward accompanied
the Army of the Potomac in several cam
paiCns With his balloon. About the same time
James Allen OF Providence. Il. l., another
aeronaut with two balloons. volunteered his
services to Gov. SpraEue, which were &C.
cepted. and he accompanied the FIRST call Of
three months men into the field.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04
Ia connected with the ground bv telegraph
and telephone wires wound with the cablo.
HOW PRUSSIA WORKS.

The balloon ., rk Of the Frussian army Is
In Berlin. 1t is Intended to furnish each indie
pendent army in war with u field balloon do
tacllmcnt.
The balloon Is made of special fabric.
compnscd II two thlcknesses OF cotton cloth,
coated with rubber. IT is strong. durable.
AID absolutely gas tight. The only objection
which can be urged against it is its weight.
IL is the heaviest fabric used for this purpose.
II Gossesses the advantage OF not attracting
electricity from the clouds.
Silk being q highly electric substance be.
The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-04-04

dred wards in every dIreation. So Far rs the
pUblic knows. no satisfactory ex planation for
this remarkable explosion has ever been found.
There are eight wagons In a field balloon de-
achment One for the balloon, one for The
reel and sable tthe reel is worked by hand by
sixteen men; sIx.hundrcd metres of cable ian he
reeled up.in twelve or fifteen minutes and six
IN peace twelve In war for gas. Ea h wagon
carries twenty cylinders. Six wagon londs q!
gas are necessary to III the balloon. Reserve
supplies of gas arc carried with the ammuni-
ton parks of the army.