Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . was known about theprobable results of the shock that would be experienced on comingto the ground in a rigid machine of this type. Schwarzs experi-ment was the only one which threw any light on the matter, andit was therefore considered safer to conduct the trials above thewaters of the Bodensee. The construction of the outer envelopewas a matter of great importance. It provided a smooth surface,and also protected the gas-bags from injury of any kind. Mo
Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . was known about theprobable results of the shock that would be experienced on comingto the ground in a rigid machine of this type. Schwarzs experi-ment was the only one which threw any light on the matter, andit was therefore considered safer to conduct the trials above thewaters of the Bodensee. The construction of the outer envelopewas a matter of great importance. It provided a smooth surface,and also protected the gas-bags from injury of any kind. More-over a thin film of air came between the gas-bags and the outercovering, and served to protect them from undesirable variations 62 AIKSHIPS PAST AND PEESENT. of temperature. This is a matter of great importance, becausethe indirect effect of radiation would otherwise be to cause a riseor fall. The first ascent was made in July, 1900, and it cannot be saidthat it was favoured by any unusual luck. The winch, whichworked the sliding weight, was broken, and the whole balloon,together with the framework which connected the two cars, was. Fig. 32.—Count Zeppelins dirigible balloon. so bent that the propellers could not be properly worked. Con-sequently full speed could not be reached, the maximum thatwas actually attained being 13 ft. per second, and it was alsoimpossible to steer, as the ropes that were used for this purposebecame entangled. These mishaps, which could not be rectifiedin mid-air, made it necessary to descend to the lake, whereeverything happened as had been expected, and the only injurythat was sustained was caused by running on a pile. Thedamage was repaired at the end of September, and onOctober 21st a further attempt was made on the original lines, DIRIGIBLE BALLOONS FROM 1898 TO 1906. 68 and a speed of 30 ft. per second was reached. It was pointedout that a higher speed than this could probably be reached, butowing to the continual turns, it was impossible t
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