The Progress of Ballooning.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 180, 27 November 1886, Page 7

The Progress of Ballooning.

Ballooning is attracting great attention in France, especially in connection with military affaire. Two celebrated inventors Herve and Allward, claim to have dis covered a means by which balloons could be steered, and an ascension they made from Cherbourg to England appears to have substantiated their claims to this important discovery, as they announced their proposed route over the Channel to Portsmouth and thenco to London, and they alighted in the environs of the metropolis, after having dropped paper placards at various places on their* journey. These placards were supposed to represent packets of dynamite, and these aeronauts claimed that by their inveution they could destroy any ships or fortificationB on their route. Great expectations were founded on this discovery, but a more recent experiment in a voyage from Bologne to Morway ehowa that the balloon has yet to make its claims good as the monarch of the air. Mesers Herve and Allward started from Bplogne with light winds that took them in the direction of the German Ocean, but when they had passed the eastern coast of England their deviator, or rudder, ceased to acfc, and in order to save their lives they were compelled to descend. Fortunately their eignals for aid were seen on board a steam tug, and they and the balloon were saved and taken into Yarmouth It was, however, a very narrow escape. Experiments are also being made with military fire balloons in Paris from the gardens of the Tuileries, under the guidance of Godaid, the well-known aeronaut. Ho recently made the ascent alone, and every precaution was ordered to be taken by the Prefect of Police to prevent any untoward conflagration. The balloon on being released shot up rapidly, and when last seen in the twilight was ecuddiog away southwards. Substantially the new system, while not; positively implying aerial navigation in the strict sense of the word, gives the aeronaut pome command over the balloon by the simple fact that a straw fire may be lighted or extinguished at will, and that the parachute around the largest circumference of the balloon eases the descent and diminishes the rick in regaining earth. The chimney through which the straw fire ie drawn up is made of thin wire, resembling that around the Davy lamp, so that even with a high wind it is claimed that the balloon cannot catch re. The experiment is undoubted Cu.w 'q tere<jting one, opening up an it does* new S^pectives in the wars of the future.