the dominion of the air-第52节

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etseven；　a　peak　over　5；000　feet　high；　the　plateau　on　which　the　voyagers　landed　being　described　as　only　50　yards　square；　surrounded　by　precipices。

On　the　10th　of　September　following　the　writer　was　fortunate　in　carrying　out　some　wireless　telegraphy　experiments　in　a　balloon；　the　success　of　which　is　entirely　due　to　the　unrivalled　skill　of　Mr。　Nevil　Maskelyne；　F。R。A。S。；　and　to　his　clever　adaptation　of　the　special　apparatus　of　his　own　invention　to　the　exigencies　of　a　free　balloon。　　The　occasion　was　the　garden　party　at　the　Bradford　meeting　of　the　British　Association；　Admiral　Sir　Edmund　Fremantle　taking　part　in　the　voyage；　with　Mr。　Percival　Spencer　in　charge。　　The　experiment　was　to　include　the　firing　of　a　mine　in　the　grounds　two　minutes　after　the　balloon　had　left；　and　this　item　was　entirely　successful。　　The　main　idea　was　to　attempt　to　establish　communication　between　a　base　and　a　free　balloon　retreating　through　space　at　a　height　beyond　practicable　gun　shot。　　The　wind　was　fast　and　squally；　and　the　unavoidable　rough　jolting　which　the　car　received　at　the　start　put　the　transmitting　instrument　out　of　action。　　The　messages；　however；　which　were　sent　from　the　grounds　at　Lister　Park　were　received　and　watched　by　the　occupants　of　the　car　up　to　a　distance　of　twenty　miles；　at　which　point　the　voyage　terminated。

On　September　30th；　and　also　on　October　9th；　of　this　year；　took　place　two　principal　balloon　races　from　Vincennes　in　connection　with　the　Paris　Exposition。　　In　the　first　race；　among　those　who　competed　were　M。　Jacques　Faure；　the　Count　de　la　Vaulx；　and　M。　Jacques　Balsan。　　The　Count　was　the　winner；　reaching　Wocawek；　in　Russian　Poland；　a　travel　of　706　miles；　in　21　hours　34　minutes。　　M。　Balsan　was　second；　descending　near　Dantzig　in　East　Prussia；　757　miles；　in　22　hours。　　M。　Jacques　Faure　reached　Mamlitz；　in　East　Prussia；　a　distance　of　753　miles。

In　the　final　race　the　Count　de　la　Vaulx　made　a　record　voyage　of　1；193　miles；　reaching　Korosticheff；　in　Russia；　in　35　hours　45　minutes；　attaining　a　maximum　altitude　of　18；810　feet。　　M。　J。　Balsan　reached　a　greater　height；　namely；　21；582　feet；　travelling　to　Rodom；　in　Russia；　a　distance　of　843　miles；　in　27　hours　25　minutes。

Some　phenomenal　altitudes　were　attained　at　this　time。　　In　September；　1898；　Dr。　Berson；　of　Berlin；　ascended　from　the　Crystal　Palace　in　a　balloon　inflated　with　hydrogen；　under　the　management　of　Mr。　Stanley　Spencer；　oxygen　being　an　essential　part　of　the　equipment。　　The　start　was　made　at　5　p。m。；　and　the　balloon　at　first　drifted　south…east；　out　over　the　mouth　of　the　Thames；　until　at　an　altitude　of　10；000　feet　an　upper　current　changed　the　course　to　southwest；　the　balloon　mounting　rapidly　till　23；000　feet　was　reached；　at　which　height　the　coast　of　France　was　plainly　seen。　　At　25；000　feet　both　voyagers　were　gasping；　and　compelled　to　inhale　oxygen。　　At　27；500　feet；　only　four　bags　of　ballast　being　left；　the　descent　was　commenced；　and　a　safe　landing　was　effected　at　Romford。

Subsequently　Dr。　　Berson；　in　company　with　Dr。　Suring；　ascending　from　Berlin；　attained　an　altitude　of　34；000　feet。　　At　30；000　feet　the　aeronauts　were　inhaling　oxygen；　and　before　reaching　their　highest　point　both　had　for　a　considerable　time　remained　unconscious。

In　1901　a　new　aeroplane　flying　machine　began　to　attract　attention；　the　invention　of　Herr　Kress。　　A　novel　feature　of　the　machine　was　a　device　to　render　it　of　avail　for　Arctic　travel。　　In　shape　it　might　be　compared　to　an　iceboat　with　two　keels　and　a　long　stem；　the　keels　being　adapted　to　run　on　ice　or　snow；　while　the　boat　would　float　on　water。　　Power　was　to　be　derived　from　a　petrol　motor。

At　the　same　period　M。　Henry　Sutor　was　busy　on　Lake　Constance　with　an　air　ship　designed　also　to　float　on　water。　　Then　Mr。　Buchanan　followed　with　a　fish…shaped　vessel；　one　of　the　most　important　specialities　of　which　consisted　in　side　propellers；　the　surfaces　of　which　were　roughened　with　minute　diagonal　grooves　to　effect　a　greater　grip　on　the　air。

No　less　original　was　the　air　ship；　100　feet　long；　and　carrying　18；000　cubic　feet　of　gas；　which　Mr。　W。　Beedle　was　engaged　upon。　　In　this　machine；　besides　the　propellers　for　controlling　the　horizontal　motion；　there　was　one　to　regulate　vertical　motion；　with　a　view　of　obviating　expenditure　of　gas　or　ballast。

But　by　this　time　M。　Santos　Dumont；　pursuing　his　hobby　with　unparalleled　perseverance；　had　built　in　succession　no　less　than　six　air　ships；　meeting　with　no　mean　success；　profiting　by　every　lesson　taught　by　failures；　and　making　light　of　all　accidents；　great　or　small。　　On　July　15th；　1901；　he　made　a　famous　try　for　the　Deutsch　prize　in　a　cigar…shaped　balloon；　110　feet　long；　19；000　cubic　feet　capacity；　carrying　a　Daimler　oil　motor　of　15…horse　power。　　The　day　was　not　favourable；　but；　starting　from　the　Parc　d'Aerostation；　he　was　abreast　of　the　Eiffel　Tower　in　thirteen　minutes；　circling　round　which；　and　battling　against　a　head　wind；　he　reached　the　grounds　of　the　Aero　Club　in　41　minutes　from　the　start；　or　11　minutes　late　by　the　conditions　of　the　prize。　　A　cylinder　had　broken　down；　and　the　balance　of　the　vessel　had　become　upset。

Within　a　fortnightJuly　29thin　favourable　weather；　he　made　another　flight；　lasting　fifteen　minutes；　at　the　end　of　which　he　had　returned　to　his　starting　ground。　　Then　on　August　8th　a　more　momentous　attempt　came　off。　　Sailing　up　with　a　rapid　ascent；　and　flying　with　the　wind；　Santos　Dumont　covered　the　distance　to　the　Tower　in　five　minutes　only；　and　gracefully　swung　round；　but；　immediately　after；　the　wind　played　havoc；　slowing　down　the　motor；　at　the　same　time　damaging　the　balloon；　and　causing　an　escape　of　gas。　　On　this　Santos　Dumont；　ascending　higher　into　the　sky；　quitted　the　car；　and　climbed　along　the　keel　to　inspect；　and；　if　possible；　rectify　the　motor；　but　with　little　success。　　The　balloon　was　emptying；　and　the　machine　pitched　badly；　till　a　further　rent　occurred；　when　it　commenced　falling　hopelessly　and　with　a　speed　momentarily　increasing。

Slanting　over　a　roof；　the　balloon　caught　a　chimney　and　tore　asunder；　but　the　wreck；　also　catching；　held　fast；　while　the　car　hung　helplessly　down　a　blank　wall。　　In　this　perilous　predicament　great　coolness　and　agility　alone　averted　disaster；　till　firemen　were　able　to　come　to　the　rescue。

The　air　ship　was　damaged　beyond　repair；　but　by　September　6th　another　was　completed；　and　on　trial　appeared　to　work　well　until；　while　travelling　at　speed；　it　was　brought　up　and　badly　strained　by　the　trail　rope　catching　in　trees。

Early　in　the　next　month　the　young　Brazilian　was　aloft　again；　with　weather　conditions　entirely　in　his　favour；　but　again　certain　minor　mishaps　prevented　his　next　struggle　for　the　prize；　which　did　not　take　place　till　the　19th。　　On　this　day　a　light　cross　wind　was　blowing；　not　sufficient；　however；　seriously　to　influence　the　first　stage　of　the　time　race；　and　the　outward　journey　was　accomplished　with　a　direct　flight　in　nine　minutes。　　On　rounding　the　tower；　however；　the　wind　began　to　tell　prejudicially；　and　the　propeller　became　deranged。　　On　this；　letting　his　vessel　fall　off　from　the　wind；　Santos　Dumont　crawled　along　the　framework　till　he　reached　the　motor；　which　he　succeeded　in　again　setting　in　working　order；　though　not　without　a　delay　of　several　minutes　and　some　loss　of　ground。　　From　that　point　the　return　journey　was　accomplished　in　eight　minutes；　and　the　race　was；　at　the　time；　declared　lost　by　40　seconds　only。

The　most　important　and　novel　feature　in　the　air　ships　constructed　by　Santos　Dumont　was　the　internal　ballonet；　inflated　automatically　by　a　ventilator；　the　expedient　being　designed　to　preserve　the　shape　of　the　main　balloon　itself　while　meeting　the　wind。　　On　the　whole；　it　answered　well；　and　took　the　place　of　the　heavy　wire　cage　used　by　Zeppelin。

M。　de　Fonvielle；　commenting　on　the　achievements　of　Santos　Dumont；　wrote：〃It　does　not　appear　that　he　has　navigated　his　balloon　against　more　than　very　light　winds；　but　in　his　machinery　he　has　shown　such　attention　to　detail　that　it　may　reasonably　be　expected　that　if　he　continues　to　increase　his　motive　power　he　will；　ere　long；　exceed　past　performances。〃

Mr。　Chanute　has　a　further　word　to　say　about　the　possibility　of　making　balloons　navigable。　　He　considers　that　their　size　will　have　to　be　great　to　the　verge　of　impracticability　and　the　power　of　the　motor　enormous　in　proportion　to　its　weight。　　As　to　flying　machines；　properly　so　called；　he　calculates　the　best　that　has　been　done　to　be　the　sustaining　of　from　27　lbs。　to　55　lbs。　per　horse　power　by　impact　upon　the　air。　　But　Mr。　Chanute　also　argues　that　the　equilibrium　is　of　prime　importance；　and　on　this　point　there　could　scarcely　be　a　greater　authority。　　No　one　of　living　men　has　given　more　attention　to　the　problem　of　〃soaring；〃　and　it　is　stated　that　he　has　had　about　a　thousand　〃slides〃　made　by　assistants；　with　different　types　of　machine；　and　all　without　the　slightest　accident。

Many　other　aerial　vessels　might　be　mentioned。　　Mr。　T。　H。　Bastin；　of　Clapham；　has　been　engaged　for　many　years　on　a　machine　which　should　imitate　bird　flight　as　nearly　as　this　may　be　practicable。

Baron　Bradsky　aims　at　a　navigable　balloon　on　an　ambitious　scale。　　M。　Tatin　is　another　candidate　for　the　Deutsch　prize。　　Of　Dr。　Barton's　air　ship　more　is　looked　for；　as　being　designed　for　the　War　Office。　　It　is　understood　that　the　o