The Washington herald., 1908-08-09


heard. and the blades Of the huge pro
peller could be distinguished by the sun
light which glistened on them
The balloon sailed over the stables on
the return trip al an altitude OF 90 feet
/ When il passed over the heads Of the
crowd cheer after cheer went ND. hands
were Clapped and hspdkerchiefs and hats
waved at The aeronauts. Capt Baldwin
took his right hand from the steering
rope and waved hack a salute to his ad-
mirsrs. The balloon passed over the
parade grounds and sailed 20 the south
ern wall Of Arlington Cemetery When
near the river bank. Capt Baldwin
made the machine discribe a semicircle
I in the All and came back toward the
| starting point
Planes Bring II Down.
\ few moments after passing over The
northern wall OF the cemetery he threw
down the 30 feet OF drag rope.
The lower end OF The rape cleared the
ground by 100 feet. showing the height
Of the balloon TO be go feet Sailing 10
the western limits OF the fort ground.
Capt Baldwin turned around and went
toward the center Of the drill field. the
balloon being lowered by Engineer Cur
tiss by means Of the forward steering
panes ali the while.
At 5-5l clock the balloon reached the
ground Il was held over the heads of
1 the swarming throng, and Capt Baldwin
announced that the test was unofficial.
Z Hundreds OF men aQd women ran u the
side Of the balloon 70 shake Capt Bald
wins hand or shout words OF encourage
ment OF praise 20 him. Each Of the
members Of the bs-rd congratulated him
! on the SUCCESS OF the fight
An avrn-1rhFfa v-Hf-- several news
paper men were riding. followed almost
directly under the balloon. The men in
the auto took the time OF arrival al the
turning point This was ar sis O'Clock.
[ Capt Baldwin had then negotiated %
I miles. that being the distance estimated
I by the board Half a minute was utilized
/ IN making a wide turn between the two
[ Virginia hamlets. At 5.15ia o'clock he
I started back at a considerably increased
/ speed. and passed over the road iu r1a
/ center OF the driu field az 5.Z2- This ended
I the timing Of the balloon for the Trial
I trip over the course which VIII be fol-
lowed in tire Official test Being 80 feet
Up and travelling at a good speed Capt
I Baldwin decided 90 explore the territory
lying in the direction opposite 10 that l1
which he had Just Travelled. After seven
I minutes more in the air be tossed out the
I drag rope and began 90 descend This
I gas bag was sfighL
Makes Fifteen Miles an Hour.
] 7 was estimated by Secretary Post. OF
/ the Aero Club OF America. after the HiEht.
I that the di-,Eible made an average -
/ from thirteen % fifteen miles an ho--.
I This was merely Euessw0rk. however
/ because no Instruments were used i1 the
I diriEible. and the course being new %
! Capt. Baldwin. and those who Travelled i1
the machine. i- was impossible 10 say
i whether the machine Travelled TWO and a
l quarter miles each way. or three and q
quarter No two watches seemed 20
agree, and no two persons who held
I timers agreed on the exact time OF start
+ ing and returning
capt Baldwin and lIr Clrtiss were
. not as enthusiastic OF deuo-S--arive
after yesterdays fight as they seemed 20
I be earlier in The week. Vheu they made
/ successful preliminary fights. II is be-
I Ieved by many o. those who witnessed
! the performance OF The machine yes-er-
day that Capt Baldwin g1t all possible
I speed out OF the invention.
Scientific persons who took figures fur
I nished by Capt BALDWIN say i- is uO-
possible for his machine % make SIX
/ teen miles an hour. as the Signal Corps
requires. CAPT Baldwin says tis balloon
I has a diameter Of nineteen feet This
I makes the total sectional area Of the ma
/ chine 205 square feet He declares the
/ fouU-Cylir6e-. fo---cyrle- twe1ry-e- Elt
] horsepower engine IN the machine has a
1 pulling power -of 13a pounds This would
be .2s3 pounds 90 the square inch. thereby
[ pulling the dirigible IS feet a second -oT
[ $3.50 feet in % seconds. II Capt Bald
wins figures are correct scientific men
are unable TO figure his maximum speed
al more than z Is miles This maximum
Is reached by actual calculations in
I mathematics and mechanics. and is not
I based on gIesswCrS as was The average
Of 12 70 . miles after yesterdays flight
Did Not Use Full Power.
| When he returned 90 the tent after the
flight. Capt Baldwin said he utilized +
ihorespower during the flight. This shows
an evident loss OF a horsepower
T. is said the lack Of speed is due
! TO the style Of propeller 10 which
! Capt. Baldwin pins his faith. and the
terrific back lash made By the propeller.
II this IRENE erdous and continuous gust
Of wind were 10 strike the big gas bag
n an angle &c might assist IN sustaining
I the machine in the air. As it is shot
back now, however, the back lash forms
a skin friction with the bottom of rha
na moon. ana IrLalAAS IL tA - fTalalla &c.
by mathematics and mechanics that
more than 80 pounds pull IS necessary
to carry the balloon through the air AZ
a rate OF sixteen miles an hour and
between SO and 30 pounds IN order 70
increase the speed 70 twenJy-four miles
an hour.
Nj Curtiss changed his clothes i'm
mediately after the descent seized a suit
case. ans ran for a car. He left Wash
iington for Harnondsport. y Y. last r ght
and viii return early tomorrow morn
ing The engine on the 6irigible was in
vented and built by Mr- Curtiss IN Ham
mondsport- He returned there last night
70 obtain half a dozen carburaIOrs for
the motor It Is said that with q carbu-
rator for each Of the four cylinders The
ignition OF sparkling will be more perfect
and fewer explosions NuI be lost
4 Il is expected that when the government
tests are made the dirigible will be equip
ped with q barometer TO show the alti-
tude attained. and an anCOmeter 10 reg
ister the velocity Of the wind II the
dirigibIe is purchased by the War De
i partment, Lieut.. Lahm viii be one Of the
first persons. other than the inventors,
70 sail il
/ ZEPPELIN HAS BIG PLAN.