The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1907-10-26

The big European nations have set
the pace and the United States is fol
lowing Aeronautics are occupying
large place in military operations in
Germany, France and England, and
regular balloon corps nave been added
to the armies of those countries and
hundreds of thousands of dollars eX-
pended in securing dirigible balloons
of the most approved type.
With such advances being made in
that direction it beloved Uncle Sam
uel to stir himself and provide equally
effective means of protecting his land
and his people, and so it has come TO
pass that a balloon corps has been
added to our military equipment, and
although we are somewhat behind
European nations in tackling the prob
lem of military aerOnautics, our army
is now working overtime in the
effort to excel in this, the most mod
ern branch of warfare. At the time
the navy department is letting con-
tracts for submarines, the war depart
ment is deep in the problem of select.
ing the best types of balloons. While
the special army and navy board is
discussing behind closed doors the use
of balloons as part of our coast de-
Tense system, actual ascensions are
being made daily from various points
in and around Washington by Capt
Charles De +. Chandler of the bal
loon division of the signal corps. His
first ascension several days ago was
witnessed by gaping thousands; sub
sequent ascensions were seen by I'M
diminished crowds, but their gapes are
fast disappearing. The novelty is
wearing off. Military aeronautics is
gradually taking its place in this coun-
try as a recognized and necessary
branch of military science.
Congress will be called upon at the
coming session to increase the apprO-
priatOns for the purchase of balloons,
and the chief signal office of the army
is now considering plans for dirigi.
BILE balloon, To cost in the neighbOr
hood of 100000, with a capacity of
$4,000 cubic feet equipped with two
120-hOrse power engines of foreign de.
sign, and a contract speed of 80 miles
an hour under favorable atmospheric
conditions, The hope is expressed,
however, that this announcement will
not move the unknown number Of bal
loon cranks in this country to swamp
tNn war department with descriptions
of their cOatrivances. If it were left
TO the army to decide, the statistics
would how that the number of bal.
loon cranks in this country far eX
ceeds any other class of cranks.
There are about a half-dozen bal.
looms, all captive, now in the posses.
sion of the signal corps. The largest
Of these, which was recently purCh-
ased is what is known as complete
military captive balloon" with all ap.
purtenances 1t has a capacity of 300
cubic meters. An ordinary spherical
balloon. with a capacity of 1900 cubic
meters has also been bought recently.
it will be filled with coal gas and used
f0r preliminary instruction Of officers
and enlisted mon of the signal corps
in the elementary principles OF aero
nautics On it's trial trip this balloon
made a successful journey from Wash.
ington to Harrisburg, a distance Of 10i
miles, in four and one-half hours.
Balloon headquarters for the army
will be at Fort Omaha, but instruction
in military aeronautics will also be
given at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. the
course here being adapted to the
respective needs of the three service
schools. For the protection OF the
Pacific coast balloon headquarters are
to be established on Angel island, and
the selection OF an advantageous site
on the Atlantic coast is now under
consideration. In case the dirigible
balloon Of the trype which the authori.
ties are now considering is contracted
for it will, when completed, be sent
10 East Omaha and there tested. The
officers Of the signal corps are unwill-
ing 70 give details regarding it, main
characteristics until it is completed
they are guarding them with all the
car. that tho navy attempts to guard
Is ,,e.shtp des gns Bac i is not