The Washington times., 1901-07-14
FRENCH ARMY BALLooNING.
Experiments to BE Made by the
Chafais Military School

The France MiIitaire' gives an inter-
esting account of some experiments in
military aerostation which are about to
be carried out by the French military au-
thorities In the school of military aeros-
tation at Chalais no great belief is enter
tanned of the possibility Of driving an
aerial machine of any kind, or of direct
in5s% its course under adverse circum-
stances, by means of a motor. at all
events until a vast Improvement has been
arrived at in the construction of these lat
ter. 1t is believed. however that by the
aid ofproper apparatus the wind may, in
very many cases, be utilized to take a
balloon in any required direction, and it
is to test the appliances which have been
designed for this purpose that expert
ments are about to be undertaken.
The first series of trials will be carried
out over the Mediterranean The balloon
used will be spherical in shape. with a
capacity of 3,0O0 cubic metres. II will be
filed with hydrogen. and arrangements
wifi be made by means of a contrivance
carried I'm the car to keep the balloon
constantly fully inflated. The balloon
will ascend from the Isthmus of Sablette.
from a strip of beach sheltered by Cape
Sicfe, in front OF the great harbor or
TouIon and the object will be to reach
proba bly, be favorable in June and July,
The ascent is announced for the last fort
night in June the car being occupied by
Count Henry de la Naulx, VINO last year
won the prize offered Tor IonS-oistahce
The apparatus carried for the purpose of
keepinp the balloon in the right direction
will consist of two distinct contElVanceS.
one Is designed with q view to keeping
the balloon for any desired period uni
formly at any desired altitude. In order
that a Iayer of atmosphere moving IN the
desired direction may be utilized. Ihe IN
vantion can only be utilized when sailing
over water and it is for this reason that
it has been decided TO make the hrSt eX-
pertinent over the sea VI course, the al
titude of a balloon can always be varied
bv throwing out ballast or allowing gas
to escape. but as neither gas nor the bal
last can be replaced, the number of times
the height of the balloon can be varied
bv these means is very limited; whereas
bv the cOntriVance now designed, II Is
claimed that the altitude may be altered
whenever and as often as may be desired
without debating the paHooh OF chahglhg'
except temporarily, the weight carried.
The sdeVfateurS" " which II Is not pretend
ed viii make the balloon travel against
the wind, but which II Is believed VIII
ca5se n To move at an angle TO the di-
rectfon of this latter are OF somewhat
complicated construction.
As a general description ii may be said
that they consist or cohcaEe plates so ar
Expanded at will by simply pulling
light cord. These are suspended below
the car by two such cords. When these
latter are of e,zlaI length the deviatOr
does not act at ali. and the balloon simply
drifts with the wind, but by pulling on
shortening one or other of the cords the
plates of the deViator are made TO assume
a position more or less cblique to the wind
as may be desired. and thus. much the
direction of boat is moved by a rudder.
the balloon is made to deviate more or
less from the direction of the wind.-Uni-
ted Service Gazette.