Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1898-06-22

action will make them more needful
in observing the Spaniard's strength
ened lines of defense
The tortuous waterways and the
generally land-locked nature of the
harbors, their narrow fortified en-
frances, and the excellent retreats the
wide reaches of water offer to their
ships make it imperative that we have
some fairly safe and reliable means of
making "Reminiscences of the Span
iards positions The fighting tops,
yes, even the mastheads.i are of little
avail for observation at the distances
imposed by the watchful batteries OF
the enemy, and the captive balloon
alone solves the difficulty. This is es-
pecially so where high promontories
like those of Santiago de Cuba and San
Juan completely shut out the harbor
from view and make hitting fleet
therin mere guesswork Recent expert
ments in Germany, France and Rus
STA have emphasized the Importance OF
the captive balloon in widening fleets
powers of observation, just in the same
way that the captive balloon will serve
the army; and the patient trials ana
study of the Germans have evolved
curious aerostat that by virtue OF It's
shape and peculiar properties is es-
pecially we'll adapted to the greater
range of naval work, and 1t Is quite
safe to say our own balloons Will en-
body the general features of the Ger
man design.
MI 10 Will three hal
looms acting in concert. The first and
largest is like an immense sausage,
and bears the main burden of the load
ed car. The second is somewhat SINH
lar in shape, but hugs the lower end
of the big balloon like a creeping
caterpillar. This second and smaller
balloon acts principally in the capacity
of a rudder, and aiGs materially IN
holding the balloon in a peculiar posi-
ton. while the third and small spherl-
cal balloon trails along independently
behind at some distance and serves in
the same steadying capacity that
kites tail does. In action, this triple
balloon floats with great steadiness or
immobility when not under way
something impossible in the pear
shaped affair familiar to all of us.
The observation car is pendant from
the main balloon, which poises in the
air at an angle of about 40 degrees,
practically like the position of the kite
common to every school boy, and 1t
is Just in that way that the force OF
the wind is utilized to increase the
balloons buoyancy and to subserve
also to that peculiarly marked steadi-
ness or directness of flight.
Made up, as it is. in three separate
parts, it is less liable to total and in
slant collapse in case of puncture ana
II is even possible to secure a Wloer
margin of safety by subdividing the In
teriors by thin membranous walls and
fitting them with little valves some
what like those now used on bicycle
tire. which would enable the balloon to
be filled, but which at the same time
would shut off automatically an in
iured compartment by virtue of the
unimpaired force of the neighboring
good ones. A happy, chance shot that
might damage one or even two OF the
COMMITMENTS would only cause the
balloon to sink slowly like an exhaust
ed bird. and would either enable the
aeronauts to prepare for jump in
safety or permit the balloon to be
drawn beyond the reach of further at
tack before touching the water. These
balloons are built up in sections out
of wonderfully light but very tough
fabrication of silk-a strip yard long
being equal to bearing burden of half
a ton: and balloon capable of rails
ing party of four persons will scarce
" weigh more than a good-sized boy
of 10.
The especial advantages of the bal
loon for naval work were discovered
so recently as 1894 In that year the
Russian monitor Rusalka foundered
with all hands in the Gulf of Finland
An expedition, under Colonel Nicolas
d'orloff undertook to discover the To-
cation of the lost vessel by using a
captive balloon for the purposes OF sub
marine observation and while he was
unable to find the craft. still the re-
CULTS of his search were fruitful in val
uable information for future naval pur-
noses The balloon, which was held
captive by large naval transport tt-
ted up for the service. assembled to al
titudes varying from $50 to something
lust over 400 feet. Two observers.
who were relieved every three hours,
were constantly in the car, ard 1t was
found that the naked eye was better
adapted to discerning objects at the
notion Of the sea than were the aids
oftelescopes or glasses. With favor
able light rocks aud sandbanks were