New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-04-03
N MID4TR.
n SzntoS-D1mOHt on HIS Winged
Hobby.

,ss-a, the -----s NJ Santos UuCnt for spee6
and the length r q single voyage, Il is doubt
III they ---l--- % enjoy that distinction
long IN any case. Co The young Brazilian en-
c-ueer belon-s the credit q contributing uuch
more 1z--s,v tr-- any one else 10 the recent de-
veopmert of Tie dying machine. Not only mas
he built greater number 7f self-Propelled air
ships than his rivals and t-itatcrs, and or-si-
,sted more improvements IN important details,
tgt bv his example he las given immense slim
uus to the science ar ae-ostation. But for the
rs-sfs-art and fairly successful manner II
which De has zz-a-.r---e5 during the last i've
CT SIX years the world might never have heard.
Of Stanley Spencer Leo Stevens, Severe OF the
Lebaudy brothers. lie IS clearly the head OF
The school TO which le belongs, and the story
he tells is one Of large personal and sclenilnc
interest
As a boy. while yet on his fathers plan
sa1tos-Durnorr exhibited a great passion TOT
machinery. lie had learned to drive 4 BALDWIN
locomotive that was Employed in hauling coz
Zee over sixty miles Of private railway, when he
vas only twelve years old He saw his first
balloon at 4 fair II Sac Paulo three years later.
He kept thoroughly informed regarding in
portant events Fl aerlnautic science, and when
N 1891 his family sent him over TO Paris he
divided his attention between consultations with
balloon makers and operating an autornoole-
Owing TO the extravagant demands OF aero
nauts be felt that be could not afford TIP
n he old style CT airship during his first Flslt
70 the French capital The same Influences re-
strained him when he next went there year
later Not until 1897, when he adopted Paris
as his permanent home and when be was TWEEN
ty-four vea-a old did he indulge his long
cherished desire His ascent was made under
the auspices OF IL AIachuron- who had designed
~ 90 T~Ea
Jed him 10 construct two balloons OF bis own
one Of them the smallest and lightest on record
Ee studied how TO reduce the weight CT both
Gas bags an6 baskets. and succeeded adrnira-
by
His next step was 70 plan a dirigi6le airship-
he was familiar with Gifard's venture OF 49,
and was largely guided by the precedent thGs
established Like that pioneer Santos-Dumont
adopted the form of a sweet potato, OF cigar, Tor
his model but be rejected the steam engine as
motor The recent development Of gasolene en-
gines for automobiles suggested better agent
The first OF ten machines that the Brazilian has
built was ready FOR trial in September, ls5s-
By couctLn something 70 his advisers. but
against his 0EE Judgment the preliminary test
Of that airsalp resulted in his touling some
Trees and The gas bag was torn After making
repairs be was able 70 try again. and this tine
succeeded beyond his utmost hopes The ma
chine was not perfect In fact. with each OF the
hst four OF Eve he learned some fresh lesson
But the essential principles were SO vel demon
s''atea by the azcents Of 1895 that Santos-Du-
Aonts purpose ard career were low definitely
determined
II the last ascent with 40. I the escape Of gas
ron the bag left The latter fabby. and Il bent
cautiously and threateningly n the middle
~ No. the same fault WAS exhibited 70 a
worse degree OF the occasion OF its first trial
ne weather was SO cold that day that the vol
ene OF the gas suddenly contracted The In
Fentor had provided an inner sack 10 be filed
NIA ar BY az ai- pump. as compensation Tor
ny shrtnkage q the hydrogen The apparatus
| - not work promptly enough TO serve It's pur-
Pose though, and the second airship met an IN
/ ~ley late To reduce the danger Of bending
/ 40 alterations were made IN the design Of No.
/ L was shorter and thicker than It's predeces-
/ W. The ratio q length to diameter In No.
/ = more than ! 20 7. the actual dimensions
/ ing ~ and H. feet The length Of No
/ rs " Feet and lts diameter IL the middle .
| - As a sufeuer a Light bamboo rod was
-'-A'ed horizontally under the reservoir, which
J not provided with the air sack and air
/ - Owing % SIS size II was decided to in
| e WIN ordinary Illuminating gas not hydro
consequently, however, as on previous
suns the latter was employed exclusively,
a, 'H'pensaGon Tor the escape or shrinkage Of
: sas by forcing air INTO a separate coulpart-
| @sli was provided
NO alrzhips were hunt IN 1899 Nos. . and J
II &c SEt one beha-1E r 4rrf-.t1,, 7. .Ro--.a Il. .,