Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . Fig. 95.—One of the balloons is pegged down in the open field,and the other is sunk in a specially prepared pit. not used; it is generated from time to time as required. Butwaggons are also provided in the forts, and could easily be usedin case of emergency. The provision of skilled aeronauts isalso a matter of importance, and this is part of the work doneat Chalais-Meudon, where every year a certain number of men,principally from the educated classes, a
Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . Fig. 95.—One of the balloons is pegged down in the open field,and the other is sunk in a specially prepared pit. not used; it is generated from time to time as required. Butwaggons are also provided in the forts, and could easily be usedin case of emergency. The provision of skilled aeronauts isalso a matter of importance, and this is part of the work doneat Chalais-Meudon, where every year a certain number of men,principally from the educated classes, are instructed practicallyand theoretically in the art. They receive the title of Aero-naute brevete after passing an examination, and are instructedto place themselves at the disposal of the authorities of a givenfortress in the event of mobilisation. The French Balloon Clubsalso receive assistance from the Minister of War with a view toplacing the services of their^ members at the disposal of the ORGANISATION OF MILITARY BALLOONING. 157. country in case of need, and they receive lessons in the art ofconstruction for this purpose. The French army therefore dis-poses of the services of a large number of experienced men,who could, in case ofneed, do much usefulwork in the fortressesand elsewhere. Ithas both a civil andmilitary organisationto procure a numberof skilled aeronauts,and under these con-ditions there shouldbe a sufficient sup-ply. The balloonists,enrolled by CaptainRenard, had theirfirst experience ofactual warfare in1884 in Courbettooka detachment withhim under the com-mand of CaptainCuvelier, consistingof two officers, 13non - commissionedofficers, and 23 appliances weredesigned with a viewto easy transport,and the gas was generated by heating granulated zinc withbisulphate of potash. The balloon, which was not of thenormal type, took 9,200 cubic feet of gas, and a hand-winchfor controlling its movements was carried on the com
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, bookpubl, booksubjectaeronautics
