New-York tribune., 1908-08-09
BALDWIN WINS A POINT
His Balloon accepted by the Cor
erument as to Construction.

washington Aug s-Csptain Baldwin has
ceeded in fulfilling the first requirement OF ms
contract with the government for supplying
dirigible balloon for the signal corps Of the army
The board of officers who inspected the big air
ship to-day at Fort Myer accepted it as far as
the construction of the machine is concerned; the
other requirements remaining be fulfilled are
the speed and endurance qualities of~the aerial
craft
There was no official speed test to-day. but
after the inspection of the balloon Captain Bald
win made preliminary endurance trial Taking
the same direction followed In yesterdays flight
the balloon taken over one of the courses laid
by Lieutenant Foulos. of the signal corps.
total distance of about six miles made in to-
days fight. average speed OF twelve miles an
hour being maintained No effort was made how
ever, TO make speed. and Mr.. Curtis, who again
operated the engine. did not open up the throttle
far yesterday.
Mr.. Curtis, who designed the motor which is
used In the Baldwin airship. left for Hammonds-
port tonight. TO have four carburetOrs made for
his engine, for each cylinder He was not
satisfied with the results obtained from the one
carburetor which had been used. and for this
reason the official trial was postponed until Mon
day evening.
The inspection OF Captain Baldwin's airship made
by board Of signal corps officers consisting of
Majors Squier and Russell, Captain Wallace and
Leutenants IAhm and Foulois. very exacting.
but the only condition imposed by the specifications
which was found lacking was that which required
that all fittings and appurtenances which will be
required for successful and continuous fights
must be provided Captain Baldwin has beer! using
an anchor and guide rope which borrowed
from the signal corps. The centrifugal blower had
been placed in position before the inspection was
made. and everything else being up to the specifi-
cation requirements Captain BaIdwin's airshfp in
so far as its construction is concerned has been
accepted by the government II twenty miles
hour is made in the speed trial and the airshp
makes successful Trfa RaI
win will receive $3.50 for his balloon.
Throughout the thirty minutes that the airship
was in flight to-day II under perfect control
After going two and one-quarter miles to the west
OF Fort Myer, and returning the starting point
Captain Baldwin headed for the Washington Monu-
ment, but Mr.. Curtis informed him that he had
not enough gasolene to make the extra trip A
beautiful landing then made. within few feet
of the starting point During the flight to-day the
airshlp for ten minutes passed out of the view OF
the thousand spectators who gathered at
Fort Myer
Captain Baldwin's delight over the successful in
spection wthstood by his airship only equalled
by the pleasure expressed by James Allen. chief
signal officer Lieutenant Frank P. Lahu. the win
ner of the 1906 James Gordon Bennett balloon race
particularly pleased with the manoemeter
which Captain Baldwin had installed in his bal
loon. This machine registers the amount OF gas
within the balloon and Lieutenant Lahm says that
Captain Baldwin's instrument is better than any
Captain Baldwn's strip panel varies from that re-
qutred by the specifications it is acceptable to the
signal CORPS board.
Colonel Baron de Bode, Russian military attache.
Of the most interested in to-da g
flight He made close inspection Of Captain Bald
wins airship with q view to submitting a report
TO his government
Colonel Temple, OF the leading aerouauts of
the British army. is expected here in a few days
TO attend the Fort Myer tests A NJ Herring the
heaver-than-ar machine man. who has con-
tract with the government to deliver aeropIane
on August 13. came here. to-day to have his time
limit extended. Having succeeded in the object of
his mission after attending the Baldwin flight
left for New York where is working on his
aeroplane- John McCurdy, OF the Aerial Expert
ment Association of Hammondsport " Y in
which Professor Alexander Graham Bell is the
leading spirit, was present at to-days flight
Lieutenant Selfridge, of the signal corps also a
member Of the association. will arrive here on
Monday and will have direct charge of the
heavier-than-air machine test.