Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . sent up, but of these onlyabout a dozen were in the hands of really experienced the others were in the charge of marines, who worked witha right good will, but without any special knowledge. Towards 1 The figures here given are more accurate than those which have been given byother authorities, and embody the results of the latest investigations. 152 AIRSHIPS PAST AND PRESENT, the end of the siege coal was almost exhausted, coal gas was an
Airships past and present, together with chapters on the use of balloons in connection with meteorology, photography and the carrier pigeon . sent up, but of these onlyabout a dozen were in the hands of really experienced the others were in the charge of marines, who worked witha right good will, but without any special knowledge. Towards 1 The figures here given are more accurate than those which have been given byother authorities, and embody the results of the latest investigations. 152 AIRSHIPS PAST AND PRESENT, the end of the siege coal was almost exhausted, coal gas was anunknown commodity, and there was a general dearth of all suitableappliances. These things were taken into account in organisingthe arrangements subsequently, and in 1874 the Commissiondes communications aeriennes was formed. Colonel Laussedatpresided over its deliberations, and was well acquainted with allthe technical requirements of the problem. He was assisted byCaptain Renard and Captain La Haye, whose work has beennoticed in an earlier chapter. The members of this committeemet with an unfortunate accident in December, 1875, while. Fig-. 92.—Old method of generating hydrogen. engaged on their duties in a balloon, built by Tissandier, whichfelFfrom a height of 750 ft. in consequence of a defective , Mangin, and Renard escaped with broken legs, whiletheremainder of the eight passengers had more or less severecontusions. Soon afterwards Laussedat reported his proposals to theMinister of War, and asked for the necessary funds to be placedat his disposal. Money was, however, forthcoming only to avery limited extent. Hitherto they had been allowed the sumof £32 a year, and they were probably surprised to find that theywere now to be allotted the sum of £240 to meet immediaterequirements. Still much good work was done. Renard hadcarefully considered the question of generating the gas, and had ORGANISATION OF MILITARY BALLOONING. 153 constructed an apparatus for
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