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1907 . June 13. Thursday at Baddock 94 Herald Topeka Kan. 18 Apr 1907. THE CONTROL OF BALLOONS Direction is Fixed by Meteorological Law. The results of long observation by aeronauts of the path of a bollon and what determines it have been made the subject of an exhaustive article in "Cosmos," the French journal. The writer notes that dirigible ballons are able to control the direction of their flight as long as their speed is in excess of the velocity of the wind, while spherical or drifting balloons follow passively the current in which they are immersed, and the sole relief possible to the aeronaut is to ascend or descend, seeking more or less blindly a favorable current, at the same time diminishing his sustaining and traveling capacity. To show the dependence of the aeronaut on atmospheric conditions the writer goes on to say: "The direction of balloons which do not rise above the lower atmospheric strata is fixed by a simple meteorological law—the lower air currents always move in a direction tangent to the isobars, or lines of equal barometric pressure. In fact, in overlooking irregularities caused by the unevenness of the surface of the earth on the winds, these curve about together, forming a vast whirl, which may cover at a given moment France, or even the entire continent. The whirl has its center in the point where the barometric pressure momentarily is lowest, and all around this cyclonic depression the winds in the Northern Hemisphere are sinistrorsol; that is, drawn in a direction contrary to the hands of a clock. Their direction thus coincides at a certain height above ground, with that of the isobaric lines, which generally have the form of large, irregular circles about the center of the whirl. "Duro, the aeronaut, started from Pau on January 22, 1906, and followed exactly the isobaric line marking, where the barometer stoof at 764 millimeters, until he landed the following evening in Granada, Spain. Comte de la Vaulx in his Centaur, when he made his record flight, started from Paris on October 9, 1900, crossed France, Germany, and Poland, and after traveling about twenty-four hours landed in Little Russia, near Kief. During his trip he had followed the isobar running east and west over North Germany and central Russia, but, the meteorological configuration having altered by that time, he was carried along the line of the modified isobars toward Southern Russia. When Faure, the aeronaut, crossed from London to Paris in his remarkable flight of January 11, 1905, the isobar through London crossed the channel and passed close to Paris. "The centers of cyclonic depressions and the isobaric lines do not remain stationary, but vary progressively and more or less rapidly; therefore, we must take account in forecasting the path of a balloon of modifications of the winds, connected with displacements of the centers of depression and with the deformation of the whirls especially if the flight is to last any considerable time. "These meteorological considerations explain easily the path followed by the two Wegener brothers, who now hold the record for length of time in the air. On April 6, 1906, at 8 a. m., they left Berlin in a balloon going north; the wind changed in the evening when they were over Denmark, carrying them to the south at a gradually accelerated speed; after being in the air for fifty-wo [fifty-two] hours they descended in the suburb of Frankfort-on-Main. The same note may be made in regard to the direction of the contestants crossing the English Channel, in the James Gordon Bennett Aeronautical cup race on September 30 of last year, and regarding the baloon Milano, in which the two aeronauts, Usuelli and Crespi, starting from Milan on November 11, descended at Aix-les-Bains, having profited judiciously by the meteorological situation to cross the highest points of the Alps." See Post New York 18 Apr 1907. FLYING MACHINE TROPHY. Contests to be Held at Jamestown for a Suitable Prize. Despite the fact that many inventors throughout the United States are wrestling with the problem of aerial navigation by means of a true dynamic flying machine, that is, a machine heavier than air, no public flight has been made in this country with such a machine up to the present time. The most advanced knowledge of heavier-than-air navigation seems to be held by two young Western experimenters, of whom much has been written. These men have undoubtedly made flights with their aeroplane, and these flights have been witnessed by a considerable number of people. The general appearance of their machine is known, and other experimenters are making good progress along somewhat the same lines. We feel, therefore, that the time is ripe for the offering of a suitable trophy commemorating the conquering of the air by a heavier-than-air machine. As the Scientific American is the oldest journal in this country treating of science and the arts, its proprietors feel that it is fitting that this journal should be the first to encourage the development of the latest great invention—a machine that shall conquer the air. The proprietors have, therefore, decided to offer a valuable trophy for competition for heavier-than-air flying machines. The trophy is to be given under a deed of gift to the Aero Club of America, to be competed for annually by both American and foreign inventors. The rules for the competition will be drawn up by a committee of the Aero Club, and it is expected that the first competition will occur at the Jamestown Exposition, September 14, and will be for a flight of one mile or less in a straight line. The competition is to be progressive in character, that is to say, if the flight of the predetermined distance is accomplished this year, next year a longer flight will be required, or a flight of a mile with turns. In other words, the conditions of the yearly contests will be such that they will be just ahead of the art in order to induce inventors continually to strive to improve and perfect their machines. Should any one inventor win the prize three times, it will then become his property.—[Scientific American. Enquirer Cincinnati O 14 Apr. 1907. AIRSHIP Race in Olympic Games Is Part of the Program Prepared By British Association—Big Winning Mutual Pool. SPECIAL CABLE TO THE ENQUIRER. London, April 13.—Lord Desborough and Sir Charles Howard Vincent have been appointed English delegates to the International Olympic Games Committee, which will meet at The Hague on April 22. The principal subject for discussion by the committee is the program and regulations of the London Olympiad, which is to be held in London in July, 1908. It has been practically decided by the British Olympic Association to have an airship race in connection with the games. Rev. T. deConrey Loffan, one of the leading members of the association, said recently. "It is too early to go into details. The arrangements will all depend on the possibilities of the airships the may be entered. The idea at present is to have a long-distance race, starting from the stadium, which is to be erected at Shepherd's Bush." Work has been started on the grounds at Shepherd's Bush, a beginning having been
