The Washington herald., 1908-08-14

IF the Confederate army could have
had at the first battle Of Bull Run a
dirigible war balloon. as good as the one
that Capt Baldwin has brought TO Fort
Myer. your civil war would probably not
have lasted more than nine months" de-
cIareG Col James Temper. retired. Of
the Royal Engineer Corps. who was until
recently in command Of the British army
baIlooning establishment When he was
asked what would have been the result
with such a balloon at Bull Run. Col.
Templer. who Is one Of the foremost Brit
ish authorities on military baIlooning. de
clared that with dirigibles in their present
advanced stage Confederate observers
would have been able 10 catch splendid
balloon gIiulpses Of the retreating Fed
eraI army and could have followed up the
Union forces. pressing them hard into
Washington.
Col Tempier has come 10 this country
for two purposes. First he viii visit some
Of the principal battleheIds Of the civil
war for the express purpose of making
a technical report on just what could
have been done with up-to-date balloons
II those campaigns
Familiar with BHAAOOmEuE-
Il was a boy of eighteen when that
war was fought" he said last night just
before taking the 10-45 o'clock train over
the southern Railway for Chattanooga.
TO visit that greet battlefield, but aft
erward served under four British army
officers who had served as military at
taches here during the civil war. and
they told me all Of the ius and outs OF
the Virginia campaiers-Chattanoo
Bull Run. Petersburg. The Wilderness.
Gettysburg. and your other Ereat contests.
am familiar with what baIlooning was
attempted ia the Union army. but The
advance IN military baIIooniug has been
SO great 7 want 90 learn Just what ef-
feet the use Of to-days air craft would
have had upon the campaigns Of Grant.
Lee. Jackson. ard others / shall start
with Chattanooga. then visit other fields.
/ including Buu Run and Gettysburg
The balloon IS going 20 figure in the
next great war We had more than fifty
I balloons with the British troops in South
Africa. but they were captive fellows. and
not diriEibles"
1 Col Temper arrived on the Nauretanis
last Friday. and came 20 Washington yes
rerday morning. After taking an auto
I spin around the CAPITAL he called upon
Gen. Allen. chief OF the Signal Corps,
explained his mission. and on account of
/ his prominence in British army aeronaut-
les was accorded a cordial welcome.
Lieut. Frank P Lahu was assigned n
take him 90 Fort SIyer for an inspection
Of the Baldwin balloon
Praises Lahm's Work.
Lieut. Lahm has done hue work IN
ae-onaUtics.' % said Col Temper last night
F His voyage IN the Bennett race across
+ the channel was an Incompatible one.
taking him way up into Yorkshire he
landed not far from my sisters house.
and when the people ran cut 10 see him
land they thought L was me and one Of
my balloons 7 Ike The looks OF the
Baldwin airship- II VIII be a success. Il
differs IN some respects from the British
army Sree-ahTes Baldwin is going u
succeed I have known him nearly TWEEN
ry--tve years. 7 recall very wei the Oc-
casI1n when the Prince Of Wales. now
his majesty the King. gave a diamond
ri1E 70 Baldwin That was IN IsSs. Bald
win was giving balloon exhibitions n
England. and landed az SandTingham
Palace. just In front Of the King
In his own lire Of work with diriei-
hlss I VIII stack Baldwin VI against any
Of them. The Wrighrs, too. are without
peers as aeT0pl1Te experts Know LEeITi.
too. and 81 I were IN charge Of your bal
Icon establishment and 4 were possible
20 do SO 7 should engage the services Of
b0tb Baldwin and the W-tEhts as part Of
the army balloon corps. I should have
engaged Baldwin fl England but for the
fact that he made too much money with
his exhibitions there 70 be disturbed"
Getting ID Report.
Col Temper viii prepare an eIab-
crate pamphlet setting forth his obser-
vations on the Fort Myer tests. also upon
the use that present-day balloons may
have been put 70 IN civil war campaigns.
with the effect Of their employment upon
the ultimate outcome Of various battles
Col. TempIer built the first big dirigibIe
-o- the British army. known as the
Null SeCUudUs. and also had charge OF
the making Of Army DirigibIe No .
While in this country he viii take ad-
vantage OF his nearness 10 the Blue
Grass state TO purchase a fine Kentucky
thoroughbred for himself. He says he
I would also ike TO run down to Pensa-
cola for some tarpou fishing. In about
ten days be viii return TO Washington
10 look into the Fort Afyer tests
I did not wait 70 witness BaIdwin's
official flights" he said. because I am
pressed for time. and I know he can
do what he says I have also seen his
craft, and that is enough for me 10 be