The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-10-30
ARTILLERY FIRE AT BALLOONS.
These New Engines of War Brought
Down at Long Range by Bel.
gian GunnerS.

While Germany, France and the
United States are making great
efforts to perfect a war balloon that
will be of real use in a campaign, the
artillery is trying to solve the prob
lem Of combating this new war en-
CINE. Some interesting experiments
of this nature have recently been
made.
In Austria valuable and instruc-
tive tests, with good results, were
made with Al inch guns against an
chored balloons; and in Germany at
Danzig similar experiments were
made with 4 inch guns. The details
of the results have not been made
public.
In Belgium, on the other hand,
where extensive firing tests were con-
Quoted against anchored balloons, the
data are available. The trials took
place at the proving grounds at Bras
haet, with both field and siege guns,
and are still going on.
The firing is done with shrapnel
only. Old balloons of the Balloon
Company are being used as targets.
Their diameter is about thirty-three
feet, and they are sent up to a height
of about 1900 to 1850 feet.
In the firing with two So inch no.
witzers the balloon was about. $500
yards from the guns and at an eleva-
ton of about 1850 feet. The open
ing range was $500 yards and the
firing was done with the aid Of obser-
walton stations, located on one side OF
the vertical plane of fire, each OF
these stations bei:.g provided with an
azimuth instrument IA graduated
horizontal circular plate with sights
for obtaining the position of the point
of burst of the shrapnel in space with
reference to the target.)
At the third salvo, fired at 5000
yards, the range was found to be too
great, and at the fourth salvo, fired
at 1900 yards, it was found too
short; consequently the fifth salvo
was fired at 1890 yards. The bal
loon was struck forty-siX times, two.
shots effecting very serious damage.
In firing with four cast iron 4 inch
guns, model 1889, the range Of the
first battery salvo was $3.50 yards.
Three platoon salvos were then fired
in rapid succession at $3.50, 317O and
$3.50 yards elevation, respectively.
At the second salvo, at $40 yards,
t1.1 La11oNn moe ctrt1nk 0n6 nt tho
third it began to sink. During its
fall two more battery salvos were
fired, one platoon firing at $3.50
yards, the other at 3170 yards;
finally, two Single shots at $3.50 yards
were fired.
The result showed that the bal
loon had been hit 149 times, five hits
being found in the balloon body, two
in the gondola, and three had cut the
anchoring ropes.
During the present season the ex-
periments at Brashaet are 70 be con-
tined against anchored balloons with
4 inch guns, model 1889, at ranges
from $3.50 to $3.50 yards.
At the same time special observa-
tons are to be made of the firing
from balloons. Artillery officers are
to mount in kite and spherical bal
looms, conducted by military dirigible
balloons, and follow from these
points of observation the firing tests
against various targets in the field.
The results of the observations are
to be reported by means of a tele-
phone on the ladder to the officer
directing the firing tests.
In spite of the fact that the bal
loon at Santiago gave little satisfac-
ton to the troops on the firing line
(who felt that it merely indicated
their position to the enemy, the mil
itary world is engaged in studying
the subject with ever increasing en-
ergy, and as cover is increasingly
utilized by troops the balloon Cor
some such method of ~observation3
constantly gains in importance,