The Washington herald., 1908-08-20
Baldwin Dirigible Balloon
Handled by Officers.
TEACHER PRAISES HIS CLASS
Few Errors Made in the Manage
ment of the Air Craft, but in the
Successfully Wright AePopIane
May Now BE in Washington.

re DGlttol vas EElE4L ABOUT twenty
minutes On each trip over the parade
ground and western boundary Of Ar
hngton Cemetery the balloon was IN
der absolute control. The aggregate dis
tsnoe Of all the trips was about one
mile and a quarter.
Capt. BaIdwln's three bright pupils.
Lieuts- Lahm. Foulois. and Selfridge,
were in the wall tent classroom on time,
when the second days session Of the
aeronautical school began shortly before
Is O'Clock
The jolly instructor was even more
pleased over yesterdays flights than
those OF the previous day. He congrat-
ulsted the leutenants and remarked
Praises His Class.
IF you young fellows know as much
about this business as I do. and have
put in thirty years at It, you haven't
got any more use for me around here
The officers. however. viii be given an
other lesson this afternoon az O'Clock.
The board Of test Of the Signal Corps
and Gen. Allen viii inspect Capt Bald
wins two spherical balloons this after
noon before the ascension
one Of the spherieals has a capacity Of
100 meters. OF 5000 cubic feet and the
other so meters. or 1s0o0 cubic feet
They were delivered at Fort Myer with
the dirigible and have been stored IN
the corrugated steel balloon shed. Capt
Baldwin has worked on them several
days in order 70 get them IN proper con
dition for inspection Both probably viii
be accepted this afternoon.
Capt Baldwin said last night that the
Signal Corps yesterday purchased from
him the hydrogen gas generators. made
Of California redwood. he viii receive
$50 for the OuthL Capt. Baldwin says
I the California redwood is the only tank
making material that has no harmful ef-
feet on sulphuric acid, from which the
hydrogen is made
IN addition 10 getting experience in
sailing the Baldwin SKY yacht. Lieuts-
Lahn. Selfridge. and Foulois learned a
few things about balancing the craft
On several occasions Capt Baldwin al
| lowed the officers 20 balance the ma
chine. and they had more than q little
difficulty on several occasions
Lieuts. Foulois and Lahn1 are OF about
the same weight When they sailed the
ship. the balance was easily maintained.
and the flights soon started. Lieut. Sci
fridge. however. weighs probably twenty
i've or thirty pounds more than Lieut.
Lahm. and q was no easy task 70 get the
airship 70 set level After several unsuc-
CeSsfUl trials ar a fight with Lieut..
Lah-n IN the helnsman's seat he moved
back about two feet on the framework.
and an even balance was the result Lieut.
Lahm steered the dirigible on his fnai
1riP while standing with one foot on
either side Of the framework
Tovved Out 10 Grounds.
At 6g7 O'Clock Capt Baldwin had the
balloon towed out 70 ths center Of the
parade grounds Lieut. Foulois was at
the engine and planes. while Lieut. Lahn
sat at the rudder ropes Because OF their
even weight, it was necessary 20 shift the
ballasting sand bags but little Lieut.
FoUlois tuned up the engine. and when
it was working perfectly gave Lieut.
Lahm the signal and the balloon was re-
leased
The balloon was headed toward the
wall tent. but as it SCARED higher. Lieut.
Lahm steered it around near the Airing
ton Cemetery wall. and described a com
plets circle on the outer edge of the pa
rade grounds. The engine gave Lieut.
Foulois no trouble. although he changed
the speed several times TIE ship sailed
al rate Of about fourteen miles an hour
The 2oo-foot GraS rope cleared the ground
showing the altitude OF the machine
FoUlois experimental with the forward
planes. rising to about 80 feet and then
descending within 100 feet Of the ground
A great deal depends on the helmsueu-
and Capt. Baldwin gave the Ieutenants a
lecture on the Importance Of keeping the
tiller ropes always in hand 10 prevent a
mishap as a result OF a gust OF wind
Lieuts. FOulois and Lahm made two
fights. both OF which were perfect in
every detail There was no pitching or
tipping Of the balloon. and while the two
light officers were in the machine It trsv-
eled on an even keel
In Charge of Officers.
Capt Baldwin said he would leave the
balloon in charge OF the officers and let
them balance it. one glance told that
trouble would be encountered in balanc-
ing the vessel with a heavy man IN
front and a light one in the rear. The
6irigible SCARED about ten feet and. Al
though the planes were directed up by
Lieut.. Selfridge. the machine refused 10
bulge an inch higher. The engine was
stopped and the Signal Corps men ran
across the field 20 catch the stubborn
[ flying elephant" As the machine nea~ed
Lne ground Lne propeller was peEpe1d1c
ular, and would have crashed against the
earth had not two Of the enlisted men
seized IT. Capt Baldwin instructed the
men as TO what had TO be done
Some difficulty was experienced in get
ting the proper balance. but after a few
minutes the last flight was begun Over
the center Of the parade ground and
near the cemetery the officers sailed
along like experts. At the west end
however. the balloon was blown out Of its
course by the wind. and Lieut. SeIfridee
was kept busy manipulating the rudder.
Through a megaphone. Capt Baldwin
shouted to the officers to come down. but
they were unable 10 hear him because of
the whirring Of the propeller and sputter-
ing Of the motor. Several enlisted men
seized the drag rope when the balloon
was over the center of the field This
caused the machine 70 come down rapid
ly. although the planes were directed
upward AS a result Of the quick descent
the rudder struck the ground with con
siderable force. but was not damaged
After this fight Capt Baldwin ordered
the machine taken back to the wall tent.
c. z. Taylor. mechanic for the Wright
brothers. arrived at Fort Myer yesterday
evening He witnessed the fights Of the
Baldwin dirigible. and remarked. That's
tame beside an aeroplane-"
AeropIane Was shipped
8Ir. Taylor said the Wright aeroplane.
which will be tested at Fort Myer next
week. was shipped from Dayton on Fri
day last, but he could not locate il in any
Of the freight warehouses in Washington
yesterday. AS soon as the aerOplane Is
found It viii be sent TO Fort Myer and
assembled.