Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . Dumont on his expeditions. Hesucceeded in learning something onevery occasion, and instantly proceededto build a new balloon without givinga thought to the possibility of adaptingthe old one. He made very few ex-peditions in his first balloons, because he saw almost at oncethat they were unsuitable and that radical alterations wereneeded in the design. He went through all manner of accidentson his trial runs, but he also showed on many occasionsthat he w
Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . Dumont on his expeditions. Hesucceeded in learning something onevery occasion, and instantly proceededto build a new balloon without givinga thought to the possibility of adaptingthe old one. He made very few ex-peditions in his first balloons, because he saw almost at oncethat they were unsuitable and that radical alterations wereneeded in the design. He went through all manner of accidentson his trial runs, but he also showed on many occasionsthat he well understood the art of guiding his ship throughthe air. He landed in trees, in the water, on the roofs of housesin rapid succession ; still his presence of mind always founda way of escape. His first attempt started very unluckily:the airship was at once dashed against the trees and torn topieces. He said himself that the choice of an unsuitable starting-point was the cause of this accident. He made his ascent in aplace that was surrounded by high trees. The force of the wind,which acted in the same direction as that produced by his. Fig. 34.—Santos Dumont. DIRIGIBLE BALLOONS FROM 1898 TO 1906. 67 propellers, drove him against the trees before he had time to riseabove them. He then took the precaution of starting alwayswith the front of the balloon towards the wind. The damagewas repaired in two days, and after performing some evolutionsat a low level, he gained such confidence that he sailed fromParis to Longchamps at a height of 1,300 ft. At first all wentwell. As soon as the balloon fell, the gas contracted and theair-bag was seen to be too small. The balloon was no longerproperly inflated, and it proceeded to fold up in the middle, likea pocket knife. It then plunged downwards towards the ground,
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