The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1907-09-20

lowing with keen interest the develop |
ments in ballooning. and are bending
every energy to a practical utilization
of the airship as an engine Of war II
the secret Of successful navigation Of
the air Is discovered there apparently
seems no limit to its possibilities In
time Of war, and for this reason each
nation is making experiments and
striving to be the first to produce the
arinored alrship. Even the United
States is to have an aerial feet, for
the giant war balloon completed few
weeks age for the signal corps is only
the frst Of a series Of such balloons
Of great size to be manufactured for
the United States army.
France has always been considered
the foremost nation in balloon expert
ments, but it is known that Germany
Ia specially active in the development
Of the war balloon, and is ambitious Of
attaining superiority over all other
nations in this respect
Every year there are Z. series Of
maneuvers By the German army, all
OF them interesting and important ow-
ing to the military character Of the
nation, but from the increasing inter
est taken IN military airships in Ger
many at the present time. It is easy to
see that these win form the chief at
traction Of the coming maneuvres.
This is all the more likely TO be the
case because the German army be-
lieves that 1t has solved, for military
purposes, the steerable balloon prob
lem. The success Of the French mill
tary balloon is also expected to have
its influence upon the aeronautical
force in the German army by melting
them to give a brilliant and ominoui
exhibition.
During the last twenty-threc years
the German army has devoted grea
deal Of attention to the study Of mill
tary balloons and airships. although
the greatest activity in this direction
has been noticed since 1901, when al
imperial order was issued converting
the ballooning detachment into bal
looming battalion. Splendid new bal
racks and practice grounds. fitted on
with the most modern improvements
were erected at Tegel, the former ter
ements OF the baliooning corps prosin
too small to accommodate the IN
s creased number Of troops. Since tha
period ballooning in all its phases ha
been.the subiectsof the most earnes
and thorough deliberatIon on the pan
of the corps. which may well be sal
to be the finest branch Of ita kind ]
any European army.
To the hallooning battalion Is a
signed the use of the signal balloon
which is probably only to be seen
Germany. This is a small spheric;
aerostat. not intended to carry alo
anything weightier than apparatus j
which signals may be communicate
Tie signals are conveyed much Il
same as they are on warships,
means Of cones and drums and flag
Just at present. two balloons a
monopolizing the attention Of Germs
army officers. These are the zeppel
dirigible and the more resent stee
able aerostat designed by von Pars
val. The latter is regarded as the mo
important. and one on which the &C
man army has stakad its reputation.
was constructed by the celebratl
Major Won Parseval, Bavarian oi
cer who for the last 20 years has q
+ voted his life TO painstaking expo
ments With all kinds OF airships a
machines.
The parseval airship consists
a two distinct parts, the balloon. OF g
a. bag with rudder, and the car on viii
It she motor with propeller IS place
sr rhe shape Of the balloon is somewh
le similar 10 that Of the Zeppelin b
lo Icon, namely, cylindrical and taperi
X at both ends It has. however
,e framework, and, Ike other balloon
* derives it's shape simply through {
"a expansive properties Of gas. T
ID length is IS meters. diameter S57 II
K. ters and capacity $500 meters. In t
" interior Of the alrship two bags.
10 "halloonettes,R are situated. one
/ both ends. which can be inflated or
/" tialed BY yentllaiors, so that the g
bag itself Is kept in constant Sta
Of tension. a slanting position can a
= be impaired to the balloon By
- fiating one Of the bags while the ol
Z Is fun. q Initiating one ef them vi
- The second one is empty Wings.