the dominion of the air- 第41部分

CHAPTER　XXIII。　NEW　DEPARTURES　IN　AEROSTATION。


After　Mr。　Coxwell's　experiments　at　Aldershot　in　1862　the　military　balloon；　as　far　as　England　was　concerned；　remained　in　abeyance　for　nine　long　years；　when　the　Government　appointed　a　Commission　to　enquire　into　its　utility；　and　to　conduct　further　experiments。　　The　members　of　this　committee　were　Colonel　Noble；　R。E。；　Sir　F。　Abel；　Captain　Lee；　R。E。；　assisted　by　Captain　Elsdale；　R。E。；　and　Captain　（now　Colonel）　Templer。　　Yet　another　nine　years；　however；　elapsed　before　much　more　was　heard　of　this　modernised　military　engine。

But　about　the　beginning　of　the　eighties　the　Government　had　become　fully　alive　to　the　importance　of　the　subject；　and　Royal　Engineers　at　Woolwich　grew　busy　with　balloon　manufacture　and　experiment。　　Soon　〃the　sky　around　London　became　speckled　with　balloons。〃　　The　method　of　making　so…called　pure　hydrogen　by　passing　steam　over　red…hot　iron　was　fully　tested；　and　for　a　time　gained　favour。　　The　apparatus；　weighing　some　three　tons；　was　calculated　to　be　not　beyond　the　carrying　powers　of　three　service　waggons；　while　it　was　capable　of　generating　enough　gas　to　inflate　two　balloons　in　twenty…four　hours；　a　single　inflation　holding　good；　under　favourable　circumstances；　for　a　long　period。　　At　the　Brighton　Volunteer　Review　of　1880；　Captain　Templer；　with　nine　men；　conducted　the　operations　of　a　captive　reconnoitring　balloon。　　This　was　inflated　at　the　Lewes　gas　works；　and　then　towed　two　and　a　half　miles　across　a　river；　a　railway；　and　a　line　of　telegraph　wires；　after　which　it　was　let　up　to　a　height　of　1；500　feet；　whence；　it　was　stated；　that　so　good　a　view　was　obtained　that　〃every　man　was　clearly　seen。〃　　Be　it　remembered；　however；　that　the　country　was　not　the　South　African　veldt；　and　every　man　was　in　the　striking　English　uniform　of　that　date。

Just　at　this　juncture　came　the　Egyptian　War；　and　it　will　be　recalled　that　in　the　beginning　of　that　war　balloons　were　conspicuous　by　their　absence。　　The　difficulties　of　reconnaissance　were　keenly　felt　and　commented　on；　and　among　other　statements　we　find　the　following　in　the　war　intelligence　of　the　Times：

〃As　the　want　of　a　balloon　equipment　has　been　mentioned　in　letters　from　Egypt；　it　may　be　stated　that　all　the　War　Department　balloons　remain　in　store　at　the　Royal　Dockyard　at　Woolwich；　but　have　been　recently　examined　and　found　perfectly　serviceable。〃　　An　assertion　had　been　made　to　the　effect　that　the　nature　of　the　sand　in　Egypt　would　impede　the　transport　of　the　heavy　material　necessary　for　inflation。　　At　last；　however；　the　order　came　for　the　despatch　of　the　balloon　equipment　to　the　front；　and　though　this　arrived　long　after　Tel…el…Kebir；　yet　it　is　recorded　that　the　first　ascent　in　real　active　service　in　the　British　Army　took　place　on　the　25th　of　March；　1885；　at　Suakin；　and　balloons　becoming　regarded　as　an　all…important　part　of　the　equipment　of　war；　they　were　sent　out　in　the　Bechuanaland　Expedition　under　Sir　Charles　Warren；　the　supply　of　gas　being　shipped　to　Cape　Town　in　cylinders。

It　was　at　this　period　that；　according　to　Mr。　Coxwell；　Lord　Wolseley　made　ascents　at　home　in　a　war　balloon　to　form　his　own　personal　opinion　of　their　capabilities；　and；　expressing　this　opinion　to　one　of　his　staff；　said　that　had　he　been　able　to　employ　balloons　in　the　earlier　stages　of　the　Soudan　campaign　the　affair　would　not　have　lasted　as　many　months　as　it　did　years。　　This　statement；　however；　should　be　read　in　conjunction　with　another　of　the　same　officer　in　the　〃Soldier's　Pocket　Book；〃　that　〃in　a　windy　country　balloons　are　useless。〃　　In　the　Boer　War　the　usefulness　of　the　balloon　was　frequently　tested；　more　particularly　during　the　siege　of　Ladysmith；　when　it　was　deemed　of　great　value　in　directing　the　fire　of　the　British　artillery；　and　again　in　Buller's　advance；　where　the　balloon　is　credited　with　having　located　a　〃death…trap〃　of　the　enemy　at　Spion　Kop。　　Other　all…important　service　was　rendered　at　Magersfontein。　　The　Service　balloon　principally　used　was　made　of　goldbeaters'　skin；　containing　about　10；000　cubic　feet　of　hydrogen；　which　had　been　produced　by　the　action　of　sulphuric　acid　on　zinc；　and　compressed　in　steel　cylinders。　　A　special　gas　factory　was；　for　the　purpose　of　the　campaign；　established　at　Cape　Town。

It　is　here　that　reference　must　be　made　to　some　of　the　special　work　undertaken　by　Mr。　Eric　S。　Bruce；　which　dealt　with　the　management　of　captive　balloons　under　different　conditions；　and　with　a　system　of　signalling　thus　rendered　feasible。　　Mr。　Bruce；　who；　since　Major　Baden…Powell's　retirement　from　the　office；　has　devoted　his　best　energies　as　secretary　to　the　advancement　of　the　British　Aeronautical　Society；　was　the　inventor　of　the　system　of　electric　balloon　signalling　which　he　supplied　to　the　British　Government；　as　well　as　to　the　Belgian　and　Italian　Governments。　　This　system　requires　but　a　very　small　balloon；　made　of　three　or　four　thicknesses　of　goldbeaters'　skin；　measuring　from　7　to　10　feet　in　diameter；　and　needing　only　two　or　three　gas　cylinders　for　inflation。　　Within　the　balloon；　which　is　sufficiently　translucent；　are　placed　several　incandescent　lamps　in　metallic　circuit；　with　a　source　of　electricity　on　the　ground。　　This　source　of　electricity　may　consist　of　batteries　of　moderate　size　or　a　portable　hand　dynamo。　　In　the　circuit　is　placed　an　apparatus　for　making　and　breaking　contact　rapidly；　and　by　varying　the　duration　of　the　flashes　in　the　balloon　telegraphic　messages　may　be　easily　transmitted。　　To　overcome　the　difficulty　of　unsteadiness；　under　circumstances　of　rough　weather；　in　the　captive　balloon　which　carried　the　glow　lamps；　Mr。　Bruce　experimented　with　guy　ropes；　and　gave　a　most　successful　exhibition　of　their　efficiency　before　military　experts　at　Stamford　Bridge　grounds；　though　a　stiff　wind　was　blowing　at　the　time。

It　must　be　perfectly　obvious；　however；　that　a　captive　balloon　in　a　wind　is　greatly　at　a　disadvantage；　and　to　counteract　this；　attempts　have　been　made　in　the　direction　of　a　combination　between　the　balloon　and　a　kite。　　This　endeavour　has　been　attended　with　some　measure　of　success　in　the　German　army。　　Mr。　Douglas　Archibald；　in　England；　was　one　of　the　first　to　advocate　the　kite　balloon。　　In　1888　he　called　attention　to　the　unsatisfactory　behaviour　of　captive　balloons　in　variable　winds；　dropping　with　every　gust　and　rising　again　with　a　lull。　　In　proof　he　described　an　expedient　of　Major　Templer's；　where　an　attempt　was　being　made　to　operate　a　photographic　camera　hoisted　by　two　tandem　kites。　　〃The　balloon；〃　he　writes；　〃went　up　majestically；　and　all　seemed　very　satisfactory　until　a　mile　of　cable　had　been　run　out；　and　the　winder　locked。〃　　It　was　then　that　troubles　began　which　threatened　the　wreckage　of　the　apparatus；　and　Mr。　Archibald；　in　consequence；　strongly　recommended　a　kite　balloon　at　that　time。　　Twelve　years　later　the　same　able　experimentalist；　impressed　with　the　splendid　work　done　by　kites　alone　for　meteorological　purposes　at　least；　allowed　that　he　was　quite　content　to　〃let　the　kite　balloon　go　by。〃

But　the　German　school　of　aeronauts　were　doing　bigger　things　than　making　trials　with　kite　balloons。　　The　German　Society　for　the　Promotion　of　Aerial　Navigation；　assisted　by　the　Army　Balloon　Corps；　were　busy　in　1888；　when　a　series　of　important　ascents　were　commenced。　　Under　the　direction　of　Dr。　Assmann；　the　energetic　president　of　the　aeronautical　society　above　named；　captive　ascents　were　arranged　in　connection　with　free　ascents　for　meteorological　purposes；　and　it　was　thus　practicable　to　make　simultaneous　observations　at　different　levels。　　These　experiments；　which　were　largely　taken　up　on　the　Continent；　led　to　others　of　yet　higher　importance；　in　which　the　unmanned　balloon　took　a　part。　　But　the　Continental　annals　of　this　date　contain　one　unhappy　record　of　another　nature；　the　recounting　of　which　will；　at　least；　break　the　monotony　attending　mere　experimental　details。

In　October；　1893；　Captain　Charbonnet；　an　enthusiastic　French　aeronaut；　resolved　on　spending　his　honeymoon；　with　the　full　consent　of　his　bride；　in　a　prolonged　balloon　excursion。　　The　start　was　to　be　made　from　Turin；　and；　the　direction　of　travel　lying　across　the　Alps；　it　was　the　hope　of　the　voyagers　eventually　to　reach　French　territory。　　The　ascent　was　made　in　perfect　safety；　as　was　also　the　first　descent；　at　the　little　village　of　Piobesi；　ten　miles　away。　　Here　a　halt　was　made　for　the　night；　and　the　next　morning；　when　a　fresh　start　was　determined　on；　two　young　Italians；　Signori　Botto　and　Durando；　were　taken　on　board　as　assistants；　for　the　exploit　began　to　assume　an　appearance　of　some　gravity；　and　this　the　more　so　when　storm　clouds　began　brewing。　　At　an　altitude　of　10；000　feet　cross…currents　were　encountered；　and　the　course　becoming　obscured　the　captain　descended　to　near　the　earth；　where　he　discovered　himself　to　be　in　dangerous　proximity　to　gaunt　mountain　peaks。　　On　observing　this；　he　promptly　cast　out　sand　so　liberally　that　the　balloon　rose　to　a　height　approaching　20；000　feet；　when　a　rapid　descent　presently　began；　and　refused　to　be　checked；　even　with　the　expenditure　of　all　available　ballast。

All　the　while　the　earth　remained　obscured；　but；　anticipating　a　fall　among　the　mountains；　Captain　Charbonnet　bade　his　companions　lie　down　in　the　car　while　he　endeavoured　to　catch　sight　of　some　landmark；　but；　quite　suddenly；　the　balloon　struck　some　mountain　slope　with　such　force　as　to　throw　the　captain　back　into　the　car　with　a　heavy　blow　over　the　eye；　then；　bounding　across　a　gulley；　it　struck　again　and　yet　again；　falling　and　rebounding　between　rocky　walls；　till　it　settled　on　a　steep　and　snowy　ridge。　　Darkness　was　now　closing　in；　and　the　party；　without　food　or　proper　shelter；　had　to　pass　the　night　as　best　they　might　on　the　bare　spot　where　they　fell；　hoping　for　encouragement　with　the　return　of　day。　　But　dawn　showed　them　to　be　on　a　dangerous　peak；　10；000　feet　high；　whence　they　must　descend　by　their　own　unassisted　efforts。　　After　a　little　clambering　the　captain；　who　was　in　a　very　exhausted　state；　fell　through　a　hidden　crevasse；　fracturing　his　skull　sixty　feet　below。　　The　remaining　three　struggled　on　throughout　the　day；　and　had　to　pass　a　second　night　on　the　mountain；　this　time　without　covering。　　On　the　third　day　they　met　with　a　shepherd；　who　conducted　them　with　difficulty　to　the　little　village　of　Balme。

This　story；　by　vir