The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-10-05
70 STEER BALLOONS
Is the Next Step in the Evo-
luton of Locomotion.
HISTORY OF AERONAUTICS
From the Original Balloon
Down to Andree's.

good results for the latter as its pre-
decessor, the Automobile Club, achieved
for the former. AS already announced
in the Herald, one of its members, NJ.
Henri Deutsch, has offered a prize Of
10000 francs for any navigable balloon
that, starting from the Aero Club ground
in the Bots de Boulogne, shall steer
around the Eiffel Tower and return to
the point of departure in less than half
an hour. The competition is open for
five years.
Therefore the history Of aeronautics be-
comes a topic of the time. Let us cast
a backward glance upon that hisory
during the III years which have elapsed
since the first balloon sailed into the air.
1.-The poet said Gothic sis the prophet
of the future" He was himself an ex-
amplar of his own saying, for was not
the germ of the Darwinian doctrine con-
tanned in his poem, 1.-THE Metamorphoses
of Plants % hSakespeare, we know, an
ticipated the discovery of the circulation
of the blood, the secular structure of
plants and heaven knows how many Of
our modern discoveries
Is it to be wondered at, therefore, that
it was a poet who first conceived the
idea of a ba8oon? He did not, indeed
put the idea into practice, but it is quite
possible that he may have given a hint
to the Mongol41er brothers.
That poet was Cyrano de Bergerao In
his humorous and fanciful book entieled
1.-The Comical History of the Empire Of
the States of the Moon" Bergerac
makes three of his characters reach the
moon in different ways. Here is how
one of them performs the feat:
HE filed with smoke two large vases,
which he sealed dramatically and fas-
tened under his wings. Hereupon the
smoke, which had a specific tendency to
rise, but which was unable to penetrate
the metal, pushed the vases upward so
that they rose into the Clouds carrying
with them this great man, and he, when
he had reached to twenty-five feet above
the surface Of the moon, united the
vases he had grit as wings around his
shoulders and allowed himself to fall.
The height was great, but he wore
long and ample gown, into the folds
of which the wind engulfed itself. and
thus bore him safely and slowly to
earth"
Now these lines anticipate the original
theory of balloon ascension. Had Cyrano
reduced theory to practice with only very
slight notifications, he would have in
vented not merely the balloon, but also
the parachute. For the whole theory of
balloons rests upon this principle that
whenever a body is plunged into a fluid
OF superior weight TO it's own it floats.
A cork rises to the surface of the water.
cannon ball rises to the surface of
quicksilver. By the same law clouds
float in the air TO exactly that height
where volume of air of the same ex-
tent as their own has an equal weight.
So If a body of any kind be lighter
than an equal volume Of air at the sur
face of the earth. it will rise but Meet
ing successfully with layers of air which
/ grow lighter and lighter as it ascends It
will end by remaining stationary at the
point where, the respective volumes being
equal, the weight Of air will be the same
as its own.
! Not until the year 17Ss was this prin-
ciple, understood by Cyrano. put into
/ operation by the Montgolfers. These two
! brothers James and Joseph, were paper
manufacturers at Annonay. They con-
! structed an enormous balloon, So feet in
diameter. 40 in circumference. capable of
holding 25.oo0 cubic feet Of air. It was
| made of canvas, lined with paper. and
| weighed 500 pounds. There was large
opening at the lower part Under this
a straw fire was lit Thus % 200 cubic
feet of hot air was introduced into the
canvas globe it being one of the prop
critics of heat to dilate all the bodies
which it penttrates and to make them
ill much larger space than when they
are cold. The hot air in the balloon be-
ing thus Of less specific gravity than the
air outside was enabled to carry inward
the 500 pounds of canvas Great was
} the estonishment and delight of the
spectators whe nthe ''Mongolfere'' rose
majestically from the earth and SCARED
aloft 10 a height of two or three hum
dred feet. Equal excitement was created
everywhere by the news of the great
event. The world made up its mind
that the secret OF the aerial navigation
/ had been discovered, and that henceforth
/ the high roads Of the heavens would be
open 10 everybgody
A. Paris. NJ. Faujas de Sain-Fond. a
naturalist. set on foot a subscription for
a repetition of the Experiment. The bal
/ loon was constructed by two brothers BY
the name Of Robert. under the direction
OF Professor Charles. who held the chair
OF natural philosophy in Paris Il was
the professor who proposed hat II should
he inflated With hydrogen sas instead
Of hat air. The balloon was made OF
thin silk vanished with solution Of
elastic sum. II was about thirteen feet
in diameter. The ascent took place from
the Cham de Mars on August .. in the
4 presence OF an immense conoourse OF
people. Tho balloon rose to the height
Of about three thousand feet with great
rapiGity After remaining in the al.
fer Scout three-quarters Of an hour. it
feu in a field about fifteen miles Of.
and SO terrified the peasauJry that they
tore il into shre3s.
II was not until some months later
that any human being dared 70 risk his
life in a balloon. The frst aeronsuts
who bravei the perils n the air were
a sheep. cock and duck They we're
launched On their fight eptenber q us.
in the presence OF Louis XVI. and his
/ family. Tae fisst human oeinS who as
cen3e5 In balloon WIS Pflatre &c Ro-
) zier. on October L. rs But in order
% minimize the danger the bslloon was
captive one. thai Is - say &: was at
tached by ropes 10 the ground Finally
on November Eli 1-S. NJ Rozser with
the MARQUIS d'Arlsn5es. determined upon
a free ascension in "A Are hsuoon. The
starting place WAS IN the Boise de Bou-
logne. All Paris fooked thither 10 wiz