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aviation in this country has done much to arouse an interest in the matter. He has made a close study of the way in which European nations use balloons and he will probably introduce some of those methods to this country, although he has some ideas of his own that he will put in force. Lieutenant Lahm's work will be watched closely by army men in all parts of the country and it is quite possible that if he meets with success balloon corps will be added to a great many army posts in the near future. New Art of Warfare. The balloon became a factor in battles when the five-year prohibiton of The Hague peace conference expired. The prohibition did not relate to the employment of the balloon in mere reconnoissances, as was effectively done in the Spanish-American and several preceding wars, but to a possible species of offensive tactics which would enable one man or at most a few men to inflict death in a horrible form upon thousands without the latter having more than a remote or very slender chance of defense or retaliation. The one man in a balloon, which could be maneuvered directly over the enemy's head, while he himself, far out of range, could let fall upon the latter bombs of such tremendous explosive power that he alone might decide a mighty conflict in which hundreds of thousands of soldiers where arrayed against one another. In the western American phrase, "getting the drop" on a foe would then have a terribly intensified and terribly literal meaning. This novel instrument has already been used by each belligerent, both armies having used balloons for purposes of observation during the great battle of Liaoyangm which closed in disaster to Russia. The Japanese early in the battle send up a balloon southeast of Liaoyang and the location of the Russian defenses by keen-eyed observers high above the battlefield may have doomed Russia to defeat through the resulting accuracy of fire from the Japanese batteries. General Kuropatkin as well received assistance by the same means. His defensive positions, however, were fixed and once their range had been determined the Japanese had them at the mercy of their relentless guns. The Russians, on the other hand, faced an ever-shifting foe, seeking this eminence, that hidden vantage point, anywhere within range. The balloon, therefore, served the Japanese relatively far more effectively than the Russians. Its use by both armies, however, adds new pages to a fairly new chapter in the art of warfare. Early Use of Balloons. Balloons used for observation in warfare may be free or captive, but up to the present they have more usually been the latter. Inventors have been strenuously at work for many years upon the problem of the "dirigible" aerostat, to use the French adjective-the airship0 that may be made to who whither its director wills, independently of the winds. If this were perfected the captive balloon in warfare would probably be superseded almost entirely. The French government has been endeavoring for a long time to perfect the dirigible balloon and rapid progress toward that end has been made in the last fifth [[image]] ashington gas in the field. But is line in intended for with hot air or vapor oon may be more rap method, it is said, than not appear, however, one a conclusive test. dinary military balloon diameter. During a cam constantly inflated and afloat above the earth, ready to be any point at a moment's no dreds pounds of sand is usually car, or basket, to be thrown tle as the gas escapes, in order n may pull upward sufficiently ble taut which attaches it to strong winds guy ropes are the balloon and to relieve the of the more violent tension. in English Army. lish army five wagons are re observation balloon and its ap The largest one is drawn by looks much like a timber truck. ge reels, on which are wound of twisted wire rope. The sec drawn by four horses and the or more. The largest wagon which the cable holding the bal ned. The second is laden with steel tubes, in which is stored, atmospheric pressures, the re to replace that lost by accident The other wagons contain d the apparatus for generating rocess which was used in the in Africa for the production of s the passing of steam over red he apparatus for this purpose and a half tons and will produce our hours hydrogen enough to nary balloons. Balloons Are Managed. areh the balloon train usually but moves faster than the in
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