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1907 June 3 Monday at Baddeck 41 Eagle Brooklyn 21 Mar 1907 GERMANY TO FIGHT BALLOONS. Dantzic, West Prussia, March 21--Coast battery practice against balloons will begin near here in a day or two. Several artillery officers of high rank have arrived at Dantzic from Berlin to observe the results of the firing, which will be against both free and captive balloons. The latter will be towed by swift vessels, to which they will be attached by cables about 1,000 yards long, and will be nine miles out at sea. Eve. Post New York 21 Mar 1907 Coast Batteries Against War Balloons. Dantzic, West Prussia, March 21. --Coast battery practice against balloons will begin near here in a day or two. Several artillery officers of high rank have arrived at Dantzic from Berlin to observe the results of the firing, which will be against both free and captive balloons. The latter will be towed by swift vessels, to which they will be attached by cables about 1,000 yards long, and will be nine miles out at sea. Transcript Boston 21 Mar 1907 Big Army Balloon Nearly Ready Will Be Shipped from New York to Fort Leavenworth Next Month The big Government balloon that is being built in New York for the military balloon station at Fort Leavenworth has been practically completed and will be shipped to the station by the middle of April. The balloon will have a capacity of 80,000 cubic feet, being the largest balloon now in this country. Captain Charles De F. Chandler of the War Department, who has charge of the plans for equipping the station, has made a thorough inspection of the balloon. He was well pleased at its progress, and he is making arrangements for an early ascension from Fort Leavenworth. The Government now has at Fort Leavenworth nine small balloons, the largest of 18,000 cubic feet, and a large building is being erected to store the balloons. Transcript Boston 22 Mar 1907 Tariffs When The Airship Comes [From the Indianapolis News, Ind't] We have long wondered why our tariff experts have not seemed to think of the possibilities of evil that are wrapped up in the balloon or airship. As long as products are brought into the country along certain fixed lines of railroads, or through certain specified ports it is an easy matter to collect tariff taxes. But how will it be when cargoes begin coming in through the air? The problem will certainly be vastly more difficult than it is now. Already our system has been threatened. What shall we do when balloons or airships take the place of the sea-going vessel? Then we shall have to deal, not with the balloon, but with its cargo. And that cargo may be brought across the frontier at any point and landed anywhere. Doubtless there will be regular balloon lines travelling regular routes and landing at established destinations. These can be in a measure controlled. But what of the multitude of tramp balloons - what of the private balloons of our millionaires, from which the owner may disembark at his own door? In spite of the best we can do we fear that there will be a vast amount of smuggling, accompanied, of course, by a tremendous shrinkage of customs receipts. Think, too, how hard it will be to limit trade with the distant Philippines to American balloons. The case on which the Government has just passed is simplicity itself as compared with those problems which are likely to present themselves in the future. Really the war may almost be said to be one between science and religion - the religion of protection. Everything that knits nations closer together, every improved method of intercommunication, every harbor that is improved and every canal that is dug - all tend to weaken the protective policy. The conflict is irrepressible. And when the airships come we shall, we fear, find custom-house taxation a very uncertain method of raising revenue. But we congratulate the Treasury Department on its liberal policy with reference to this one racing balloon. Only one bond need be given. That will cover all the wanderings it may venture on. Its "status" has been determined. And home-made balloons are safe from the competition of the pauper product of Europe. The country is saved - for the present. Press New York 22 Mar 1907 Balloon for Artillery Targets. Dantzic, West Prussia, March 21. -Coast battery practice against balloons will begin near here in a day or two. Several artillery officers of high rank have arrived at Dantzic from Berlin to observe the results of the firing, which will be against both free and captive balloons. The latter will be towed by swift vessels, to which they will be attached by cables about 1,000 yards long and will be nine miles out at sea. Herald New York 22 Mar 1907 TO TRY SHOOTING BALLOONS. German Artillerymen Will Make Interesting Experiments at Danzig. Danzig, West Prussia, Thursday. -Coast battery practice against balloons will begin near here in a day or two. Several artillery officers of high rank have arrived from Berlin to observe the results of the firing, which will be against both free and captive balloons. The latter will be towed by swift vessels, to which they will be attached by cables about 1,000 yards long and will be nine miles out at sea. Globe New York 22 Mar 1907 Suggestion for Airships. Editor of the Globe: Sir - We have many promises from enthusiastic air navigators of a dirigible contrivance on the aeroplane plan which may not prove a veritable ship of death to its promotor, but apparently nothing satisfactory has been accomplished. Without entering into a lengthy digression as to the laws of mechanics as they apply to this particular case, it is necessary to assume that to accomplish anything which will serve our purpose we require at the outset power for velocities and strength for resistances, both of which spell weight. To obviate the dangers caused by plane surfaces buckling and closing up book-like many ingenious methods have been tried, but resulting generally in endangering the equilibrium of the craft and causing it to edge off suddenly at unexpected angles. I am aware of no designer having adopted the gyroscopic principle to the plane surfaces, a principle which if logically applied tends to simplify parts, lessen weight of the planes, and eliminate the buckling features. It also holds the planes at any desired angle regardless of sudden pressure variation, and if designed as a two-leaf spiral the velocity of revolution gives, in combination, two prime advantages - that of vertical ascension and stability of equilibrium. These theories are not new except, perhaps, in application to air craft and cannot be refuted except we deny the laws governing matter and motion. Possibly some of our inventors will take the cue. J.T.H. New York, March 21. American New York 22 Mar 1907 Balloonists Take Trip Under Water Officers of Aero Club Believe Flying Ship Only One to Combat Submarine. To experience the thrill of a new, exciting, sensation, a party of Aero Club officers and their guests spent a couple of hours thirty feet below the surface of the water off Bridgport, Conn., in the submarine boat Lake. The party was composed of former Senator J. M. Thurston, Mrs. Thurston, Rear Admiral Endicott, Lieutenant Radler de Aquino, of the Brazilian Embassy; Mr. and Mrs. J. C. Lake, parents of the inventor; Cortlandt Field Bishop, August Post and Allan A Hawley, respectively president, secretary and pilot of the Aero Club of America. Captain George Evans guided the mysterious-looking craft, which bobbed up and down in the water at the will of the operator, and at each apparition and disappearance gave the crews of passing vessels an uncanny feeling. Because of the tremendous pressure of air Mrs. Thurston's wish to enter the diving compartment was not gratified. Both women were calm despite the unique experience. "The balloon and the submarine are enemies," said Mr. Post, "but we hope to incorporate into airships some mechanical features of the diving vessel. The balloon is about the most effective instrument for locating submarine boats in war time, as it can soar far up and command a clear view." No mishaps occurred during the trip.
