The Washington herald., 1908-08-15

! Negotiating eight and quarter miles
/ in twenty-eight minutes. Capt Thomas
Z Baldwin in two separate fights from
Fort oIyer 70 Cherrydale. Va. yesterday
Demonstrated 10 representatives Of the
Signal Corps that his dirigible is capable
OF maintaining The average speed neces-
/ sary FOX its use in the United States
army.
The flights were made without the
! slightest hitch. and we're by far the most
successful ever made by Capt. Baldwin
and Engineer Curtiss. They were the
last Of the speed tests.
This afternoon the sky sailors viii re-
main in the air Two hours 10 test the
endurance % the dirigible. Capt Bald
win announced last evening that the
fight would De made between / O'Clock in
The afternoon and : O'Clock in the even
ing The dirigibIe VIII visit Washing
ton. IL being Capt Baldwsl's intention
10 sail 20 the Monument and circle
around the top several times He may
sail over the downtown business dis
trict. but this IS imrr bahle.
Return from Washington.
After his visit TO Washington. Capt
Baldwin viii return 20 Fort GIyer- II the
two hours have not elapsed by the time
he reaches the parade ground. he prob
ably VIE sail toward Balls5oa or circle
over the dru field
Unofficial figures taken by a representa-
tive OF The Washington Herald, who fol-
lowed the balloon IN an automobile.
showed that The first trip 10 CEerTydale.
a distance OF two and 0ne-slxJeenth miles
out and an equal distance back. was
made in fifteen minutes This gives capt
Baldwin an aver e. OF six IN miles an
hour. allowing half minute for a wide
turn over the flag al Cherrydale. The sec
ond fight over the same course was
made in thirteen minutes. allowing three
/ quarters of a minute fvr a much wider
turn This gives an average speed OF p
+ Jrife over nineteen miles an hour
Capt Baldwin and Engineer Curtiss. as
Vel as members Of -he board OF test
I Of the Signal Corps. were elated over the
fights made IN such good time The sec
ond fight was begun Immediately after
the diriEihIe returned from the first
cruise
We got the speed to-day said Capt
Baldwin. and Z believe we have got the
government money. Both flights were
perfect. although We Travelled against a
dve-uile wind The engine. steering
planes. and rudder worked perfectly.
believe We made close 10 twenty miles an
hour. which IS more than necessary to
meet The War Department specifications
Both 1Ir- Curtiss and myself are highly
pleased over the showing made this even
ing, because we got the speed and had
the machine under perfect control every
second W. were in the air
Curtiss Is Enthusiastac.
AIr. Curtiss was enthusiastic over the
performance Of the machine.
We made excellent time uOtwith-
standing the wind and the fact that I
shut of the engine about forty times
n order TO get better control over il
Each time I increased the speed. the
balloon began 10 pitch This made II
necessary 20 shut down and wait q few
seconds until the bag settled level again
The second trip was made in much
better time than the first Of course
we did not attempt to time ourselves
but we know from the continued high
speed and perfect balance and almost
straight course. that We made the second
voyage at least two minutes quicker than
The first
The engine worked perfectly and was
kept busy putting on and cutting down
speed. The planes behaved Ideally. and
served their purpose. II we remain in
the air two hours tomorrow. I believe
we viii have developed a machine com
plying with every requirement laid down
by the War Department Remaining
: af1Oat two hours is simply play We
could remain afiost two days If We had
enough lubricating oil and gasoline 10
run the engine"
Mai. Squier. ar whose suggestion Capt
Baldwin and Mr. Curtiss made the
second ascension a few moments after
the first was ended. said last night that
the board Of test would hold meeting
al the War Department this morning.
and announce the official time Of each
flight and the average rate Of speed.
After this average speed is figured out.
Capt Baldwin viii have 10 maintain
% per cent Of it throughout the two
hours he is af1oat to-day. The official
/ average probably viii be in the neighbor-
| hood Of fifteen or seventeen miles an
l hour making II necessary for Capt. Bald
win and Mr. CUrtiss TO travel thirty OF
| thirty-four miles in two hours, in order
/ 10 meet the speed requirements Of the
War Department specifications
Board VIII Decide To-day.
The official board Of test. which will
! pass upon the speed and endurance Of the
dirigible and recommend that the ma
/ chine be accepted by the War Depart
ment. is composed Of Maj. Russell. Mai.
/ Squirer. Capt Wallace. Lieut.. Lahn. and
/ Lieut. FOulOis. All the members. with
/ one possible exception. are enthusiastic
/ over the showing Of the dirigible thus far.
and doubtless will recommend its adop-
ton into the military establishment OF