The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-03-15

/ to reflect how an apparently trivial
| thing may alter the whole fate of ma
| lions. Where Frederick the Great
would probably have rushed in Will
! liam II. has paused. The moment for
action may have passed. If Russia
can secure five years in which to re-
organize the balance of power in
| Europe will be practically restored,
for an entente cordiale may be ar
ranged between that wiser Russia and
| Great Britain. Meanwhile the sun of
| progress does not stand still to oblige
| even Emperors. Ten years hence war
| fare may take on a still more difficult
! aspect for the aSSailantS One of the
most recent hints of what is coming
| in the battles of the future is afforded
| by the success which has attended the
| French efforts in regard to submarines
and submersibles, and in regard to
aerial navigation. In the latter de-
partment of inventive effort the results
are very practical. Recently the
French military authorities have car
ried out experiments with the latest
Lebaudy airship in the vicinity of Toul
Ton the German frontier), where there
is that French fortress which is most
menaced just now. The first trip was
made on October s, with a view to
doing honor, to the Minister for War,
who had come to inaugurate a new
bridge The series of military tests,
properly so-called, did not commence
till the 18th. On October "a NJ. Ber-
teaux the Minister for War, wishing
to make a personal test of these re-
markable experiments made an ascent
himself in the balloon so as to verify
personally some point he was inter-
ested in as regards the science or
aeronautics. For three-quarterS OF an
hour he carried out evolutions above
the town and several forts. and at last
came to earth again without the
slightest hitch precisely at the point of
departure. To sum up, the committee
of inquiry, nominated by the Minis
ter himself and under the supervision
of which the whole of the military
tests were carried out, has verified the
fact that the ''Lebaudy H. has sue
ceeded in complying with all the severe
tests to which it was subjected with
the greatest ease. 1t was possible to
observe the movements of troops, the
positions taken up by batteries. and
works of all kinds when looking down
vertically without the least difficulty
even from considerable attitudes, and
it was possible to secure very exact
indications by the aid of telegraphy.
was 1Outlu tidl pIoJC(lHCo NcdAo cS
dropped vertically with perfect precf-
sion: at a height of 400 metres so per
cent. of the projectiles struck a sur
face of Is square metres. Not a single
hitch nor even the slightest difficulty
was encountered. 1t is quite impossi-
BILE for any gas to escape. by reason
of the remarkable construction of the
envelope which is formed of two ma
terials placed in contrary directions
and provided with two layers of rub
Der. The consumption of hydrogen,
when out of action, is solely due to
the necessity of keeping the pressure
constant so as to counterbalance all
fluctuations in the temperature. This
consumption may amount to, but never
exceeds. 2 per cent. per diem The
envelope is also characterized by q
very curious elastic property; rifle
balls do not cause any perforations. or
they are so small that only very
small amount of gas escapes whilst
the whole closes up entirely after the
passage of the ball in the same way
as human skin. If Providence is usu-
aIlv on the side of the biggest bat
talions it sometimes provides an anti
.5ote for them. The Emperor of Europe
NAV find the mastery of the air a nee !
essary part of his equipment-and may I
not be able to obtain it.-Sydney Town
and Country Journal.