Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-05-29

BRUSSELS. Belgium, May %. up
king Albert Of the Belgians has
appointed Professor August Picard
a commander OF the Order OF Leo
pold in recognition Of his ascent in
to the s~tratosphere. He made Char
les Kipfer. his aide. a chevalier Of
the order.
ODER GURGL, Austrian ryrol,
May 20. Rg-Recovered from their
perilous thrust into the upper reach
cs of the sky. DR.. August Picard be-
gan compiling his scientific data to-
day while Charles Kipfer. his as
s!stant. started a climb TO recover
their balloon from the glacier on
which IL came to rest.
DR.. Picard said In conversation
with newspaper men that the strato-
sphere. which he claimed TO have
penetrated in an ascent OF more
than $4,000 feet. was the only prac-
ticable element for long distance
aviation.
This can be done. however" he
said. only If the cabins are as cir
tight as our gondola was"
When some Of his interviewers
suggested that they would like 10
accompany the scientist TO the bal
loon. DR.. Picard had a good laugh
Have you hob-nailed shoes?" he
said. Are you experienced mountain
climbers? DO you know how to
operate an ice axe? No? Then you
better keep your hands Off"
The two men arose at dawn and
we're surprised on reaching the
lobby OF the little Edelweiss Hotel
TO be confronted by not less than
90 journalists and by scores OF tour
lists who used bicycles, motorcycles.
horsedrawn vehicles, AUTOMOBILES
and even airplanes to reach the two
men about whom all Europe is talk
ing.
DIR. Picard said he and Kipfer
had attained the detectives of their
ascent-a study of cosmic rays-and
In addition had established a worlds
altitude record-9.936 miles or more
than $4,000 feet.
He obtained a measurement of the
conductivity of gases generated bv
comic rays at the maximum height
about four hours after leaving Augs-
burg Wednesday morning.
During the first part OF the as
cent We were so occupied with the
mechanical problem Of handling the
balloon that only at a height Of ? :
$50 miles were We able 10 begin TAX
Ing the principal measurements. We
found the outside air pressure at
that altitude TO be rs millimeters.
about one tenth normal atmospheric
pressure"
Referring to a little notebook in
which he had jotted down data as
winds swept him over Southern
Europe for a day and night, he said
ne had noticed that the moon an
peared much brighter than from
the earth and that the Alpine seem
cry below him vas overwhelmingly
grand"
The temperature within the her
metically sealed aluminium ball rose
10 LOG degrees fahrenheit at times.
while on the outside il fell as low
as IS below zero fahrenheit.
He explained his delay in land
ing by the fact 1t was impossible 10
open the safety valve or the port
hole until the pressure inside con-
formed with that Of the atmosphere.
The flight is likely % revoIutlonize
all previous theories concerning the
stratoSphere," he said.
The flight proved that the strato-
sphere is navigable and that man
with modern technical methods will
be able to master its low pressure
and its cold.
We seemed to be in m endless
infinity OF blue. The earth had COM
pletely disappeared. II was like float
ing at sea with blue water ali around
and blue shore in remote distances.