MAIL ROCKET

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 241, 1 June 1932, Page 8

MAIL ROCKET

AUSTRIAN STUDENT SENDS. 300 LETTERS BY AIR. FROM MOUNTAIN TO VALLEY. GRAZ, Austria. Fritz Schmiedl, a student of chemistry in this city, recently fired what is claimed to be the first mail rocket. Taking with him to the top of the Hochtroetch, a mountain some miles north of Graz, more than 300 letters which he had collected from friends and acquaintances, he rocketed them to Semriach, the village in the valley. From the local post offiee there they found their way to different addresses in all parts of the world. Herr Schmiedl's rocket is a specially constructed one, the shell of which is of composition metal, lined with asbestos, and so made that it can withstand the explosion produced by the chemicals used to give it the initial propulsion. The rocket weighs about 71b. and looks like 'a cannon ball, supported by a contrivance much like the rudder and supporting planes of an aeroplane, from behind. The mail to be dispatched was placed in a metal case, the opening into which was sealed. Herr Schmiedl printed a number of "private" postage stamps showing a picture of the rocket and an imprint of its title, "R.I." These he sold to friends and they placed them on their letters. Herr Schmiedl later destroyed all the dies used for the stamp-making and sent whatever stamps were left to the authorities. He soon discover ed that the making of postage stamps was allowed only under special conditions, but instead of punishing him the* authorities duly delivered Jiis letters and are encouraging the young inventor in his further experiments.