Wonderfull Balloon Ascents

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"Generally the soldiers of the enemy, all who saw the observer
watching them and taking notes, came to the idea that they could
do nothing without being seen. Our soldiers were of the same
opinion, and consequently they regarded us with great admiration
and trust. On the heavy marches they brought us prepared food
and wine, which my men were hardly able to get for themselves, so
closely did they require to attend to the ropes. We were
encamped upon the banks of the Rhine at Manheim when our general
sent me to the opposite bank to parley. As soon as the Austrian
officers were made aware that I commanded the balloon, I was
overwhelmed with questions and compliments.

"What causes an impression which, till one is accustomed to it,
is very alarming, is the noise which the balloon makes when it is
struck by successive gales of wind. When the wind has passed,
the balloon, which has been pressed into a concave form by the
wind, suddenly resumes its globular form with a loud noise heard
at a great distance. The silk of the balloon would often burst
in a case of this kind, were it not for the restraining power of
the network."

After the days of Coutelle we do not read that balloons were made
much use of in warfare. The only ascent in the Egypt campaign
was that of a tricolor balloon thrown up to commemorate a fete.
That Napoleon knew full well the value of the scientific
discoveries of his time is clear from the following conversation
with a learned Mohammedan, which took place in the great pyramid
of Cheops:--

Mussamed. "Noble successor of Alexander, honour to shine
invincible arms, and to the unexpected lightning with which your
warriors are furnished."

Bonaparte. "Do you believe that that lightning is the work of
the children of men? Allah has placed it in our hands by means
of the genius of war."

Mussamed. "We recognised by your arms that it is Allah that has
sent you--the Delta and all the neighbouring countries are full
of thy miracles. But would you be a conqueror if Allah did not
permit you?"

Bonaparte. "A celestial body will point by my orders to the
dwelling of the clouds, and lightning will descend towards the
earth, along a rod of metal from which I can call it forth."

Napoleon did not favour the use of balloons in war. Perhaps it
was because he himself had such a splendid genius for war that he
depended alone upon himself, and scorned assistance. Perhaps it
was because if balloons were discovered to be of real utility,
his enemies might make use of them as well as himself, and France
retain no special advantage in them. But however this may be, on
his return from Egypt he sold the balloon of Fleurus to
Robertson. The company of ballooneers was dissolved, and the
balloons themselves disappeared in smoke.

During the war in America, the role which the balloon played was
a more important one. The Government of the United States
conferred the title of aeronautic engineer upon Mr. Allan, of
Rhode Island, who originated the idea of communicating by a
telegraphic wire from the balloon to the camp. The first
telegraphic message which was transmitted from the aerial regions
is that of Professor Love, at Washington, to the President of the
United States. The following is this despatch:--

"WASHINGTON, Balloon the 'Enterprise.'

"SIR,--The point of observation commands an extent of nearly
fifty miles in diameter. The city, with its girdle of
encampments, presents a superb scene. I have great pleasure in
sending you this despatch--the first that has been telegraphed
from an aerial station--and to know that I should be so much
encouraged, from having given the first proof that the aeronautic
science can render great assistance in these countries."

In the month of September, 1861, one of the most hardy aeronauts
(La Mountain) furnished important information to General
M'Clellan. The balloon of La Mountain, which arose from the
northern camp upon the Potomac, passed above Washington. La
Mountain then cut the cord that connected his balloon with the
earth, and rising rapidly to the height of a mile and a half, he
found himself directly above his enemies' lines. There he was
able to observe perfectly their position and their movements. He
then threw over ballast, and ascended to the height of three
miles. At this height he encountered a current which carried him
in the direction of Maryland, where he descended in safety.
General M'Clellan was so much satisfied with the observations
taken in the balloon, that, at his request, the order was given
to the War Department to construct four new balloons.

If this volume of "The Library of Wonders" had not had for its
single object "balloons and their history," we would have devoted
a chapter to the numerous attempts made to steer balloons. We
shall only say here that aerial navigation should be divided into
two kinds with balloons, and without balloons. In the first
case, it is limited to the study of aerial currents, and to the
art of rising to those currents which suit the direction of the
voyage undertaken. The balloon is not the master of the
atmosphere; on the contrary, it is its powerless slave. In the
second case, the discovery of Montgolfier is useless; and the
question is, to find out a new machine capable of flying in the
air, and at the same time heavier than the air. Birds are,
without doubt, the best models to study. But with what force
shall we replace LIFE? The air-boat of M. Pline seems to us one
of the best ideas; but the working of it presents many
difficulties. Let us find a motive power at once light and
powerful (aluminium and electricity, for example), and we will
have definitively conquered the empire of the air.

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