The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-04
Tho past hundred years have been dis.
tinctly worthy of notice.
FAMOUS. BAIlOONISTS.

Among the balloonists who are most de-
serving OF attention and praise are Hen
ny Giffard, the Tissandier Brothers. Gas
ton and Albert, and Kenard and krebs.
In 1852 Giffard broke all records in the
history OF aeronautics by constructing a
balloon which was propelled by a steam
engine This was the first air ship that
could be naviEated in desired direction.
The next great achievement along these
lines was made by Castor Tissandier,
who exhibited a balloon that could be
run by means of an electric storage bat
terry. at the Paris Exposition of 1881. La
ter. assisted by his brother, he built an
other model. over 80 feet long and 80 feet
in diameter. which was fitted with dyna-
mos and a driving screw nearly ten feet
IN diameter. and was supplied with cur
rent from accumulation weighing about
four hundred pounds In this machine
the two inventors were able to make a
speed of from seven to nine miles an
hour for an hour or two together.
In 1854 Renard and I<rebs constructed
balloon on similar liIs1s, but with it
they were able to obtain a speed that
sometimes equaled fifteen mics an hour.
This Invention was one of the most in
scresting exhibits at the Paris Exposition
of 1859.
Since that time this science has made
rapid progress, but the most pretentous
use was during the journey undertaken
by Andrea in the hope of reaching the
north pole by the use of his air ship.
Whether he returns or not is question
that time alone can answer, but there is
one point that he has proved, and this
IS that It Is possible TO construct air ships
that Win be something more than a toy.
again. but while some coed results We're
obtained. not one of the craft. proved
practicable.
Despite all these failures, however. the
work was taken up by inventors of the
nineteenth century, and the past hundred
years have been rich In progress along
these lines OF navigation. One by one the
problems that have prevented the sue
cessful use of submarine craft have been
overcome. Sometimes 1t has been at the
cost of human life. and always at great
outlay Of time and money, but now, at
the close Of the century, it looks as If
the world was TO reap the benefit Of all
this research.
With the Gustare Zede in France and
the Holland and ArEonaut in this coun-
try, there seems to be little reason to be-
1ieve that the successful submarine boat
has not been found. The great American
Inventor. Fulton. failed, just as Symonds
and Bushnell had failed before him. hut
to their failures are due a portion of>.4e
credit OF the present success of Holland
or Of Lake.
ROAD TRANSPORTATION.
II there Is any department of human
endeavor in which unprecedented progress
OF course, up to the present time the
Iaultless balloon has not been construct
ed but the work OF recent years tends to
show that this will be attained. and there
can be no question but that the highest
credit should be paid TO the nineteenth
century pioneers in this great work-to
the men who were able to give the first
practical illustration OF the fact that bal
looms, like terrestrial machines. might be
made subject TO the control OF man.
A PERFDCr SUBMARINE.
The search for a, successful submarine
boat has also been going on for more than
q hundred years. but there Is little doubt
but that the solution of this problem
will prove 10 be one of this greatest
achievements OF the nineteenth century.
The dirst mention OF q craft of this nature
Vas made about the middle OF the eigh-
teenth century. when the Gentieman.s
Magazine published the dcscripti ion OF a
strange boat constructed by man NAM
eA SymonS. which Actually Owed In the
Dart. 49, 81
{ Dm1ng the somsiaA9 Of the eighteenth
osntiAy several attempts were made to
coaGepct submartns boat that could