the dominion of the air-第52章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
n perfect safety； as was also the first descent； at the little village of Piobesi； ten miles away。 Here a halt was made for the night； and the next morning； when a fresh start was determined on； two young Italians； Signori Botto and Durando； were taken on board as assistants； for the exploit began to assume an appearance of some gravity； and this the more so when storm clouds began brewing。 At an altitude of 10；000 feet cross…currents were encountered； and the course becoming obscured the captain descended to near the earth； where he discovered himself to be in dangerous proximity to gaunt mountain peaks。 On observing this； he promptly cast out sand so liberally that the balloon rose to a height approaching 20；000 feet； when a rapid descent presently began； and refused to be checked； even with the expenditure of all available ballast。
All the while the earth remained obscured； but； anticipating a fall among the mountains； Captain Charbonnet bade his companions lie down in the car while he endeavoured to catch sight of some landmark； but； quite suddenly； the balloon struck some mountain slope with such force as to throw the captain back into the car with a heavy blow over the eye； then； bounding across a gulley； it struck again and yet again； falling and rebounding between rocky walls； till it settled on a steep and snowy ridge。 Darkness was now closing in； and the party； without food or proper shelter； had to pass the night as best they might on the bare spot where they fell； hoping for encouragement with the return of day。 But dawn showed them to be on a dangerous peak； 10；000 feet high； whence they must descend by their own unassisted efforts。 After a little clambering the captain； who was in a very exhausted state； fell through a hidden crevasse； fracturing his skull sixty feet below。 The remaining three struggled on throughout the day； and had to pass a second night on the mountain； this time without covering。 On the third day they met with a shepherd； who conducted them with difficulty to the little village of Balme。
This story； by virtue of its romance； finds a place in these pages； but； save for its tragic ending； it hardly stands alone。 Ballooning enterprise and adventure were growing every year more and more common on the Continent。 In Scandinavia we find the names of Andree； Fraenkal； and Strindberg； in Denmark that of Captain Rambusch。 Berlin and Paris had virtually become the chief centres of the development of ballooning as a science。 In the former city a chief among aeronauts had arisen in Dr。 A。 Berson； who； in December； 1894； not only reached 30；000 feet； ascending alone； but at that height sustained himself sufficiently； by inhaling oxygen； to take systematic observations throughout the entire voyage of five hours。 The year before； in company with Lieutenant Gross； he barely escaped with his life； owing to tangled ropes getting foul of the valve。 Toulet and those who accompanied him lost their lives near Brussels。 Later Wolfert and his engineer were killed near Berlin； while Johannsen and Loyal fell into the Sound。 Thus ever fresh and more extended enterprise was embarked upon with good fortune and ill。 In fact； it had become evident to all that the Continent afforded facilities for the advancement of aerial exploration which could be met with in no other parts of the world； America only excepted。 And it was at this period that the expedient of the ballon sonde； or unmanned balloon； was happily thought of。 One of these balloons； the 〃Cirrus；〃 among several trials； rose to a height； self…registered； of 61；000 feet； while a possible greater height has been accorded to it。 On one occasion； ascending from Berlin； it fell in Western Russia； on another in Bosnia。 Then； in 1896； at the Meteorological Conference at Paris； with Mascart as President； Gustave Hermite； with characteristic ardour； introduced a scheme of national ascents with balloons manned and unmanned； and this scheme was soon put in effect under a commission of famous namesAndree； Assmann； Berson； Besancon； Cailletet； Erk； de Fonvielle； Hergesell； Hermite； Jaubert； Pomotzew （of St。 Petersburg）； and Rotch （of Boston； Mass。）。
In November； 1896； five manned balloons and three unmanned ascended simultaneously from France； Germany； and Russia。 The next year saw； with the enterprise of these nations； the co…operation of Austria and Belgium。 Messrs。 Hermite and Besancon； both French aeronauts； were the first to make practical trial of the method of sounding the upper air by unmanned balloons； and； as a preliminary attempt； dismissed from Paris a number of small balloons； a large proportion of which were recovered； having returned to earth after less than 100 miles' flight。 Larger paper balloons were now constructed； capable of carrying simple self…recording instruments； also postcards； which became detached at regular intervals by the burning away of slow match； and thus indicated the path of the balloon。 The next attempt was more ambitious； made with a goldbeaters' skin balloon containing 4；000 cubic feet of gas； and carrying automatic instruments of precision。 This balloon fell in the Department of the Yonne； and was returned to Paris with the instruments； which remained uninjured； and which indicated that an altitude of 49；000 feet had been reached； and a minimum temperature of …60 degrees encountered。 Yet larger balloons of the same nature were then experimented with in Germany； as well as France。
A lack of public support has crippled the attempts of experimentalists in this country； but abroad this method of aerial exploration continues to gain favour。
Distinct from； and supplementing； the records obtained by free balloons； manned or unmanned； are those to be gathered from an aerostat moored to earth。 It is here that the captive balloon has done good service to meteorology； as we have shown； but still more so has the high…flying kite。 It must long have been recognised that instruments placed on or near the ground are insufficient for meteorological purposes； and； as far back as 1749； we find Dr。 Wilson； of Glasgow； employing kites to determine the upper currents； and to carry thermometers into higher strata of the air。 Franklin's kite and its application is matter of history。 Many since that period made experiments more or less in earnest to obtain atmospheric observations by means of kites； but probably the first in England； at least to obtain satisfactory results； was Mr。 Douglas Archibald； who； during the eighties； was successful in obtaining valuable wind measurements； as also other results； including aerial photographs； at varying altitudes up to 1；000 or 1；200 feet。 From that period the records of serious and systematic kite flying must be sought in America。 Mr。 W。 A。 Eddy was one of the pioneers； and a very serviceable tailless kite； in which the cross…bar is bowed away from the wind； is his invention； and has been much in use。 Mr。 Eddy established his kite at Blue Hillthe now famous kite observatoryand succeeded in lifting self…recording meteorological instruments to considerable heights。 The superiority of readings thus obtained is obvious from the fact that fresh air…streams are constantly playing on the instruments。
A year or two later a totally dissimilar kite was introduced by Mr。 Lawrence Hargrave； of Sydney； Australia。 This invention； which has proved of the greatest utility and efficiency； would； from its appearance； upset all conventional ideas of what a kite should be； resembling in its simplest form a mere box； minus the back and front。 Nevertheless； these kites； in their present form； have carried instruments to heights of upwards of two miles； the restraining line being fine steel piano wire。
But another and most efficient kite； admirably adapted for many most important purposes； is that invented by Major Baden…Powell。 The main objects originally aimed at in the construction of this kite related to military operations； such as signalling； photography； and the raising of a man to an elevation for observational purposes。 In the opinion of the inventor； who is a practiced aeronaut； a wind of over thirty miles an hour renders a captive balloon useless； while a kite under such conditions s
