The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-25
A GREAT SCIENTIFIC KITE.
European Scientists Delighted With
New Messenger to the Upper Regions

New Messenger to the Upper Regions.
Strassburg, Jan. "A great advance
has been made in the direction of con-
querlng the obstacles to METEOROLOGICAL
observation. The last plan was the
scientific kite that was sent up to flut-.
ter in the wind and record weather
conditions at a high altitude The
drawback about the kite was the linn
ltation of its lifting and mounting ca
pacity and the difficulty of controlling
its movements. By, combining the
kite with the balloon and making
k1te-balloon, the perfection of aerial
messengers has been reached. The
kte-balloon, it is acknowledge by
the scientists who attended the expe-
r1mental flights of one just construct
ed and tested has made it possible to re-
cord atmospheric conditions at almost
any height in the air, at any time and
in any weather. Many puzzles of The
upper regions will be solved by the
aid of this new flyer.
The kite balloon was constructed at
the factory of Riedinger in Augsburg.
1t was made of such an enormous size
as to be capable of supporting itself
in the air for a week if necessary
without replenishing of the gases. The
diameter of the balloon is AS yards:
length, II yards, and interior 222 cubic
yards. After it's arrival in Strassburg,
where the balloon was to be tested, it
was given three coats of OIL The
weight of the balloon previous to OIL
ing was so pounds, after it had been
oiled for the second time, las pounds,
and after the third, $50 pounds.
A few weeks ago it was filled with
illuminating gas and kept in the air
for three days and two nights. The
big bag assembled to a height of 100
yards, remaining at this altitude with
out descending, except for little drop
during the night in consequence of the
cooling off of the gases and in the
mornings through the weight of the
dew.
1t had next to be determined how the
instruments should be fastened to the
balloon so that they would work un-
der any circumstances. in spite of the
movements of the big gas bag. Pro-
fessor Hergesoll constructed for this
purpose a basket of 1.6 yards in length
and SO yards in height and breadth,
which was open at both ends. In this
basket the instruments We're fastened
and the basket was then surrounded
by staniol paper in order to protect
the instruments from the heat of the
sun as much as possible.
The main thing now was to keep the
basket always in a horizontal position.
This was done by running ropes from
the ends through two rings in the
middle, which We're fastened together
at the necessary angle. The basket
was then secured to the balloon.
A specially invented apparatus, call
ed the anemo-dynamograph, con-
structed by Mr.. Riedinger, which reg
istered the direction of the wind and
the wind pressure, was among the in
struments used at the experiments.
The apparatus consisted of two cylin-
ders made to move around a horizontal
axis. A spring on one of the cylinders
showed the direction of the wind: On
the upper cylinder the pressure of the
wind was registered by means of two
other springs.
The cable holding the balloon was
of steel and about 1000 yards long,
and weighed about 102 pounds. The
weight of the balloon in all, with steer
ing bag, basket with instruments and
cable, was $50 pounds.
When all was ready, the instruments