The evening times., 1900-10-18
NAVIGATING TIE AIR.
The SteerabIe Balloon of NJ. Santos
DuniOnf.
(From the New York Tribune.)

(From the New York Tribune)
In modern experiments in navigation
with a propelled airship, two general
plans have been adopted in order 70 suS-
tain the craft in the atmosphere. Ling
ley, Maxim. Chanute, Lilienthal, and
others relied solely On the aeroplane, or
widely outstretched wings; but for the
last two or three years little or nothing
has been done in this direction. The
other mthod was to have a bag filled with
hydrogen. or Illuminating gas. and shaped
like an immense sweet potato. The
longer axis of this receptacle was kept IN
a horizontal position and from twas
suspended boat or other support foT the
propelIing engine
With a device of this latter kind Re-
naFd and Krebs. of the French army,
were able to develop a speed OF fourteen
miles an hour as long ago as 1885. Nu-
merous attempts have been made since
that time to improve on the record, bat
thus far without success. Great things
were expected of Won Zerpelin,s airship
on Lake Constance, Whicn a full year
after work was begun on it, had its first
real trial early last July. The projectors
expectations were not re2Iized, howe er,
and radical improvements were under
taken, in the hope that a fresh test might
be made about October L. The cable de-
spatches reported an accident to this gi-
gantic machine more than a fortnight
ago, in consequence of which Count Won
Zeppelin has been obliged to dSlay his
second venture.
In the mean time the attention CT aero
nauts has been directed TO the airship of
a young Brazilian, NJ. Santos Dun1e nt
who has been in Paris for several mon. rs
with the intention of competing for the
S2G. .000 prize offered by M. Deutsch for the
first successful aiTship voyage from
SuTesnes to the Eiffel Tower and back in
half an hour Suresnes is suburb of
Paris, and is fully four miles from the
colossal turning stake. The round trip is
at least eight miles and to make 1t in
side of half an hour would mean a yeioci-
ty of sixteen or more than sixteen miles
an hour The voyage would demonstrate
the possibility of steering the airsnip, as
well as attaining a higher speed than ever
before.
1t is said that in one Of his experimental
voyages NJ. Santos-Dumont sailed from
Suresnes TO and around the Eiffel Tower
and returned TO the starting point But
when he was about to make the attempt
one day last month in the presence of the
Deutsch prize judges something went
wrong with his apparatus and the full trial
was postponed. He ascended for a short
distance, however, and executed a few
maneuvres to show that the ship could be
! steered. Only slight breeze prevailed at
the time, and hence the test was not very
significant. In fact it was meant chiefly
for exhibition purposes and to avoid g
complete disappointment to the crowd OF
spectators. He will make fresh attempt
in the near future, he says.
NJ. Santos-Dumont is Brazilian BY
birth, and an engineer by profession He
is twenty-five years old. He sits on a
bicycle saddle. The machine is also pro-
yided with pedals and sprocket for start
! ing the great propeller But he relies
| mainly upon q gasoline engine to drive
! the latter. The propeller is two -bladed
/ and has a diameter of twelve feet. The
! blades are of steel and aluminium, with
| cover of silk. The screw makes 1St
| revolutions a minute. and is expected Il
| develop speed of twenty miles an hour
The gasoline motor is itself a marvel i
was designed by the Messrs. Daimler. will
/ special reference to lightness. 1t devel
| ops about seven horse power and weighs
only about five Kilograms Cor ten pounds
to horse power. From this and ether IN
dications that M. Santos-Dumont was pro
ceeding in an eminently scientific manner
engineering experts have permitted them
| selves to cherish great hopes Of his sue
cess.