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28 The Post New York 15 Mar 1907 If any layman should doubt that ballooning has become a regularly established sport, let him examine "Le Vade-mecum de l'Aéronaute" (Paris: en vente chez Pauteur), by Georges Blanchet, "pilot" of the Aero-Club of France. Here we have a sufficiently practical hand-book, and a readable one too, on the anatomy of the balloon, its operation and manipulation, in short on what in military parlance we should call it service. These pages open a new world to us, and bear witness to the audacious ingenuity of man. Is ballooning dangerous? Our author says no, because most dangers can be anticipated and met; and he tells us how. For example, if the jet, through moisture (and moisture seems to be one great enemy to be feared), should weaken and break, the balloon proper may escape, leaving the aeronaut (temporarily) in mid-air. The remedy is simple: inspect your net frequently, and protect it against damp. We have no space to mention the various points brought out by the author; how a balloon may be "sucked up" by a thunder storm; when it is safe to smoke on a trip; what to say to a peasant when you land in his potato field, and so on. These matters are all realities to the aeronaut, and he must know, and know at once, what to do in each case as it presents itself. M. Blanchet, speaking from experience, is always ready with his solution. Journal, Kansas City Mo. 15 Mar 1907 BALLOONING AT LEAVENWORTH. For a long time the United States government held out against experimentation in aerial navigation as a military expedient, but it is interesting to note that the war department has now taken up the science and will make it a part of the course of study at Fort Leavenworth. European governments, notably France and Germany, have thus far led in the development of air craft for auxiliary war purposes, but the importance of the balloon in military signal service can no longer be ignored on this side of the water. It is still the popular idea that a balloon is merely an expensive and uncertain toy worthy only of being a plaything of reckless men who find a peculiar gratification in hazarding their lives upon its fitful moods. Yet the balloon has already played an important part in warfare and in the United States, too. La Montain, from a captive balloon, made important observations during the civil war. His gas bag was anchored near Washington, but when he found that he could not gather all the information desired he cut the cable and floated over the Confederate army, thereby affording General McClellan important advantages in subsequent maneuvers. The balloon, "Rhode Island," was also of service in the civil war, and instances where aerial observations were of great military importance in European wars are numerous. The experiments at Fort Leavenworth are to be carried on under the direction of Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm, who distinguished himself by winning the James Gordon Bennett cup, in a flight from Paris, September 30, 1906. There were sixteen entries in this remarkable contest, representing the United States, Great Britain, France, Belgium, Germany, Italy an Sapin. Lahm and his companion, Major Henry B. Hersey, started from Paris at 5 o'clock in the afternoon and passed across the English channel and onward to the North of England, landing at Whitby about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The distance covered was more than 500 miles, but in a direct line Whitby is 410 miles from Paris. The second prize was awarded the Italian entry which was forty miles behind Lahm. Lieutenant Lahm is well fitted for the position created for him at Fort Leavenworth and it may be expected that important developments may result from his experiments. He is to be surrounded by some of the ablest signal men of the army, and the balloon to be placed at his disposal new and especially designed for the purpose. We who live in proximity to the Leavenworth post may soon see Lahm and a big balloon prowling about in our aerial neighborhood like a friendly, although somewhat erratic, municipal moon. Herald Topeka Kan 15 Mar 1907 WILL TRY BALLOONING Leavenworth, March 15.--The announcement that the War department has directed that the large balloon now being manufactured under an appropriation from Congress be sent to Fort Leavenworth for trial and instruction in ballooning by the student officers of the Signal school, is to be followed soon by another announcement of the detail of Lieutenant Frank P. Lahm, Sixth cavalry as instructor in ballooning and "sailing the air." This officer has the distinction of having sailed in air the longest distance on record and secured for America the contest in which he sailed, being an international one, the first prize for which aero clubs were contending. Lieutenant Lahm sailed from Paris to Fly Dale, England, leaving at 3 o'clock in the afternoon and landing the following afternoon at 5 o'clock, having been continuously in the air for twenty-six hours, and traveling a distance of more than 400 miles. This record astounded the entire world last year, and established Lieutenant Lahm's fame as an aeronaut of the highest rank. Lieutenant Lahm is a native of Ohio and a graduate of West Point, entering the army in June, 1897. Les Sports Paris 16 Mar 1907 Le Banquet annuel de l'Aéro-Club d'Amerique New-York, 15 mars. - Par cáble de notre correspondant. - Le banquet annuel de l'Aéro Club d'Amérique a eu lie jeudi soir, au Saint-Régis-Hotel, à New York, et réunissait plus de deux cent convives. Le président Cortlaudt Bishop a annoncé au dessert que cinq nations s'taient régulièrement inscrites pour l Coupe aéronautique Gordon Bennett dont la date irrévocable est le 19 octobre. L'enthousiasme a été porté à son con ble quand on a lu une lettre des frère Wright annonçant qu'ils pouvaient fai publiquement la preuve qu'ils ont bien résolu le problème de l'aviation. Un toast a été porté au champion Frank Lahm. Enfin l'échange des câblogrammes de félicitations avec l'Aéro Club de France a soulevé de chaleureux applaudissements. Cette grande soirée a consacré la par faite organisation du jeune Aéro Club d' Amérique en pleine prospérité. A.G. BATCHELDER Piccolo Della Serva. 17 Mar 1907 Trieste Aeronautica. L'ESPOSIZONE DI AEROPIANI A LONDRA. Ieri sabato, per iniziativa del «Daily Mail», si è inaugurata una esposizione di modelli di aeroplani, la prima del genere che sia stata fatta in Inghilterra. L'esposizione si tiene nei locali dell'Aereo Club in Piccadilly. I concorrenti sono 350. Il premio stabilito per il modello che darà migliore prova sarà di 250 sterline. I modelli sons infiniti per varietà di tipi e per l'adozione di vari sistemi di forza motrice. Alcuni sono animati infatti dal- l'elettricità, altri da motori a petrolio, da motori ad aria compressa e cosi via. Questa esposizione desterà certo un vivissimo interesse come preparatoria alla grande gara di aeroplani con 10,000 sterline di premio, che fu indetta dal stesso giornale per superare la distance intercorrente fra Londra e Manchester
