Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-14
FLIGHT AGAIN PUT OFF.
Wind, Too Strong for Speed
Trial Of BaIdwn's DirigibIe.
UPPER CURRENTS TESTED
Balloon Taken Back to the Big
Tent.
NO ATTEMPT MADE YESTERDAY
Making Plans for the Future Utiliza-
ton of the Airship at Fort
Omaha by Signal Men.
70 ATTEMPT MADE YESTERDAY

morning of the Baldwin dirigible at Fort
Myer was fatal to the chances of the aero
| nauts. The sun came up on an almost
| still day, but behind the sun came the
| wind. The flight was to have been made
| at AM, and then there was only the
| fantest sort of a breeze stirring; but the
| wind got up steadily. and at $3.50 there
was a seven-mile breeze blowing on the
| ground, with the chances that the condi-
lions were worse in the upper air. The
| army board was assembled, however, and
the balloon was brought out for a trial
spin.
| Mai Squire reminded Capt Baldwin
| that if start over the line was made it
must be considered an official trial, ac-
| cording to all laws of racing. So the aero
naut said he would go up and take a look
at the air currents and give the timers the
high sign if he decided to make the run.
Flight Postponed.
The balloon was ballasted little heavy
in front, as it was thought she would
steer better that way. but as soon as the
| Signal Corps men had let go the frame
and the big gray racer had gone out the
| length of her 2O0-foot drag rope it was
seen that there was no chance for
| fight. The airship circled over the
parade ground, but there was a fifteen
| mile wind in the upper regions. and, al
though the dirigible could be handled
| against it, there was no use in trying for
a speed record with only two more
chances left to make the requisite speed.
So the balloon was taken back to the
| tent with the announcement that trial
| would be made this afternoon between )
and if the conditions were favorable,
and failing that an earlier start would be
made tomorrow morning.
Interested Spectators.
One of the interested visitors to the tent
today was Jack Crossley. formerly the
instructor of the old Columbia Athletic
Club. He is an old associate of Capt.
Baldwin. and was with him during his
first parachute drops in England and on
the continent. He is now the athletic in
structor of Hamilton College, near Utica,
n. Y. but puts In most of his vacation
time in Washington. He came over to
root for his old athletic partner, and was
sappointed that the ascent was not
made.
| Lieut.. Benjamin d. Foulois, who re-
Gently graduated from the signal school
at Fort Leavenworth, has given his un-
| divided attention to the Baldwin dirigible.
Richard B. Creecy of the Marine Corps
was detailed to the Fort Myer tests at his
own request. and is assisting the board
of officers in conducting the trials. Maj.
Squier and Capt. Wallace of the Signal
| Corps are members OF the board.
No Flight Yesterday.
| The trip yesterday was similar dis
appointment. The wind had been strong
enough all day. but toward evening it
| got worse and though there was fair
| sized crowd on hand and the inspection
board was ready, it was decided not to
take the ship out of the tent even for an
| exhibition.
| Gen. Franklin Bell was on hand among
| the other army officers yesterday after
| noon. He said the dirigible looked good
| to him. but that he would take his riding
| tests on horseback for the present and
| leave the aerial stunts to the high flyers
! of the signal service, who were paid for
| that sort of diversion.
Maj. Mozely Of the British war Office
was another of the spectators. as was
Senior Queson. member of the Philip
pine assembly. who is now in Washing
ton. Senior Queson has been sent by
, the assembly to the United States.
whence he will go to Russia to see the
working of the duma. The duma has not
been in existence much longer than the
Philippine assembly. but the island legis
Iators want to see how their brothers
OF the cars country are getting along
in legislative practice. From Russia,
spect the working of the agricultural
banking system. This is now a live
question in the Philippines and something
similar to Lord CrOmers banking system
is to be established there at the earliest
opportunity.
Limitations of the Dirigible.
The repeated disappointments over the
test of the drigible have not been as
great a surprise to the army officers as
they may have been to the public: but
they have Increased the anxiety of the
Signal Corps to see what the Wrights and
Herring can really do with their aero
planes Everybody interested in aero
nautics has known for long time that
the field Of operation for dlriglble was
limited i'm many ways. They can be oper-
ated slowly against wind up to very
nearly their limit of speed. and such a
breeze as has prevented the official speed
trials for the past week would not mean
that dirigible could not be sent up, and
that it could not do efficient scout duty
under adverse circumstances, but it SIM
ply means that when the ship is to be run
for speed. with a bonus depending on her
performance, the aeronauts are not going
to take any unnecessary chances on cut
ting down the price for the machine AS
one army officer explained today. it. is
lust the same as builders speed trial of
warship. The ship could put to sea
and weather a heavy gale. but she would
not be sent out by her designers to make
| speed over the government course In
| hurricane.
With the aeroplanes. however. It is ex-
pected to be very different. They will be
| handicapped in flying in a stiff breeze.
| too. but il will be a matter of balance
with them and not of speed. They prob
| ably will be able to make their speed re-
| quirements against any wind in which
| they can navigate at ALL and the only
| question will be how heavy a wind it
will take to keep them from getting up.
Employment of the Dirigible.
With everything indicating the ac-
ceptance of the Baldwin dirigible by the
| government interest centers in the uses
| to which the airship will be put after it
becomes the property of the Signal Corps
1t now is evident that it will be used
principally for training the officers and
men of the aeronautical division in the
handling of a dirigible balloon. as the
airship is too small to be of much practi-
| cal value in actual warfare
| When the big balloon plant, now being
| erected at Fort Omaha, is~completed the
| dirigible will be taken there In the
meantime. after the Wright Brothers and
a. NJ Herring have completed the tests
of their aeroplanes before the army
board Capt. Baldwin will train two Off
| GERS of the Signal Corps in the handling
| of the aerial craft
officers to Be Trained. .
Lieut.. Frank p. Lahm, already well
known for balloon work. and Lieut. Thos.
f. Selfridge, the aeroplanist. both of the