The Washington herald., 1908-08-08

the starting point. and two minutes later
he was directly over the tent in which
his di-igi5Ie is housed
Capt. Baldwin determined 10 give the
rudder and forward steering planes a
thorough test. and remained in the air
four minutes after his return, over the
parade grounds He dropped from 800
10 30 seet and circled around several
tines The rear rud6er obeyed his slight
est puu or the ropes and the machine
was guided between sky and earth as
easily as a perambulaJor on the asphalt
Sailing At 90 feet. Capt Baldwin crossed
from the northern wall OF the Arlington
cemetery TO his starting point. and
dropped slowly 20 earth Workmen seized
the dangIing drag rope. and pulled the
frame down until they could reach it and
prevent il from striking the ground The
descent was made at SIS o'clock
Engineer Curtiss seemed more enthusi-
astic over making second ascension inan
Z Capt Baldwin. Nj CuTJiss was anxious
10 know more about the forward steering
planes Amid the cheers and shouts OF
the crowd the Two air sailors asCended
again at = O'Clock. This tine they did not
( leave the parade grounds Capt. Baldwin
shouted often 10 the crowd, and even
went so far as 10 take both hands on the
steering ropes and frame work At 1.o4
O'clock the floating elephant was
brought to terra 1irna again and taken
/ into the tent for the night
Capt Baldwin insisted on having an
l,sHciaI speed trial to-d.y. although M
fCurriss was disincliued 10 favor that pro
Eramne- Capt Baldwin insisted that the
machine would not perform any better 700
years from now than yesterday. and held
out so strongly for the official test to-
day that M Curtiss finally agreed TO II
The Government Tests.
When informed the inventors were
I.ahm told Capt Baldwin TO read the
| specifications again. and see If he had
| compiled with them. After perusing the
specifications. Capt Baldwin found that
all he needed on his machine was a
| centrifugal blower, with which the bal
Ioonet inside the giant dirigible is kept
inflated with air.
According TO the specifications. Capt
Baldwin and the other inventors enter
ing in the competition are allowed three
trials in which to develop the requisite
speed. The Signal Corps calls for
diTigfbles capable OF making twenty
miles an hour a contract price Of $3.50
viii be paid TOT ulachiHeS making Jnis
speed Bonuses are offered for addi-
tionaI speed. II Capt BaIdwin's machine
/ can show a speed Of twenty-four miles an
hour. as he and Engineer Curtiss believe
can be done with their dirigible. and the
dirigible stands the endurance test, the
I War Department will pay him something
I in the neighbOrhood Of SlOso0 fer il
I This afternoon the parade ground viii
I be roped of, and no one other than
army officers. Capt. Baldwin's assistants
/ and newspaper men who have special per
mits viii be allowed 10 enter.
Plans for the Trials.
/ Nj Curtiss said last. night he had no
I idea in what direction the board would
/ order the dirigible TO sail Lieut. Lahm
| intimated the balloon would sail toward
Alexandria He said the board had
mapped out a course TO Alexandra. and
/ Il the balloon travelled there and back
/ from Fort Myer. ten miles would De
! covered
The board viii take the time OF start
I Ing and have the time of arrival az
1 Alexandra recorded BY officers sent
I there for that purpose The time the
/ balloon returns to Fort Myer will be
| recorded and by dividing the number OF
hours into the number OF miles Travelled
/ the average speed viii be reckOned-