New-York tribune., 1908-08-02
CAPTAIN BALDWIN CONFIDENT.
Test of His Dirigible Balloon To Be Held at
Fort Myer Tomorrow

Washington. Aug 1.-The officers Of the signal
corps are anxiously awaiting the official trials of
Captain Baldwin's dir1gible balloon The first pre-
llminary fight is scheduled for Monday. The sue
cess OF failure Of the airship will greatly affect the
plans Of General James Allen. CHIEF signal officer,
and the younger officers under him In fact the
signal officers are displa ytng anxiety than
Captain Baldwin himself who. when questioned as
10 the probable result OF the trials says. That
machine has got be a else don't eat
General Allen. who is Of the most enthusiastic
advocates of aeronautics the army. has already
expressed his belief that Captain Badwins ma
chine will fulfil all the requirements. Last winter
General Allen endeavored 10 get appropriation
of $4,000 from Congress for airships and other
aeronautical purposes. He was unsuccessful. and
he realizes that the Fort Myer trials will have 10
be successful at least far as the dirgible bal
loon concerned, there Will be small chance OF
getting anything from Congress at the next session.
For this reason Captain Baldwin is receiving
every assistance from the officers Of the signal
corps Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm and Lieutenant
BENJAMIN d Faulois have not missed day at the
Fort Myer balloon house since Captain Baldwin
began the work Of assembling his machine. and the
entire balloon squad stationed al the fort has been
placed at his disposal.
Contrary to the general belief, Captain Baldwins
military dirgfble which is yet unnamed. is
built in this country. II a success II will mean
more scientifically than the twentyfour hour flight
which Count Zeppelin purposes to make within a
few days in his monster aerial ship.
The gas bag Of the Zeppelin airship is just twenty
times as large as that of the Baldwin ''aeronat." "
and the eddies and IN the air have
practically effect upon IT.
with BaIdpin's dirigibIe. however every varying
disturbance will 10 be couuteracted II is the
success which Captain Baldwin Will meet in this
one nartcuIar which will be the determining factor
in th4 acceptance or rejection OF his machine That
he viii succeed in fulfilling all of the other re-
ouirements of the tests Captain Baldwin does not
entertain the slightest doubt
In the past Captain Baldwin has used dirigible
built especially for exhibition purposes. In these
airships the balance maintained at all times
much on the same principle that tight rope
walker balances himself in midair. BY the speci-
ncations under which Captain Baldwin award
method will not be permitted. Instead. side rud-
bauoonet which is balloon within balloon. or
any other mechanical means Captain Baldwin
win depend principally on the baloonet and the
nlsues of which he has four two each side Of
the frame placed forward and aft.
In the mean time Captain Baldwin is optimistic.
He has made more than three thousand balloon
ascensicns without being scratched. and, athc h
n. s fifty-four years old he displays the IF
a much younger man. 20 say nothing of his n
,husiasu, He is very resourceful. and has ar.g-Iy
devised means Of shifting heavy sandbag TO
overcome the difficulty of balancing. which is the
only stumbling block over which he has expressed
any concern