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HE present gov ernmental tests of airships of

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ament that will probably continue until late in the autumn will serve to bring prominently be fore the public the functions and personnel of the newest and one of the most interesting branches of the Jnited States armythe balloon squad The little group of men who have within the last few months qualified as experts in the handlingof sky craft will serve as the nucleus of what will ultimately be come one of the most important

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Sams mili trained body tary establishment such as is essential if this nation is to overcome the long lead already gained by France Germany and Great Britain in military aeronau
organizations in Uncle ticsThe balloon squad it may be explained is a branch of the United States Signal Corps For a num ber of years past ballooning has been regarded in military circles as an established adjunct to the signal work of the army but Americans have been inexplainably tardy in exploiting its possibilities Indeed with the exception of a limited amount of profitless balloon work

during the SpanishAmerican war this sphere of activities remained wholly unexplored on this side of the Atlantic until abou a year ago PICTURESQUE
were the finally Yankee officers to Indeed

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of Illinois

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at ttte balloon house at Fort 3 > r It te the expcttto that ere away nt seethe elapse a seeoad dtat of the ftero MUid MvMoa wttt he orS atz d at Fort Omaha Neb where IM1 g a the GoveraawBt is vam sad iaatallhrc raiei balloon howe plant to tile world in the sleet vptodate
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spark that set In- terest and energy aflame In this direc- tion was the winning of the first international balloon race by Lieut Frank P Lahm That a young Ameri- can army officer barely twentyeight years of age and almost a novice in the work should defeat the most ex- perienced aeronauts of Europe and win a decisive victory In what was up to that tlqje the greatest sporting event the world had ever seen could not help iut kindle the patriotism and the aeronautic Interest of his fellow
officers at home and abroadIt was by mere chance that Lahm became a partlolpant In the Initial contest for the Gordon Bennett cupID

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for the manufacture of the hydrogen SM used for the ttatton of naIl The baUotmiate at Fort Meyw have the care of all the ballooaw > aat by the War Department There Mantle cubic feet a French baltooa of 1 eajMKity which w s purchased darteg
tiN Spanish war

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ordered to Franco for a years work in the famous cavalry school at Baumur His duties were not to begin until October at least a week after the race and with a natural Interest In aeronauticsan inheritance from his father what more natural than that he should volunteer to representaerial in the United Stateswas the no other person race when there the Stars and Stripes to bear aloft

July

1006

Lieutenant Lahm wet

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feet capacity of Gorman uiaiiuliHCture which was acquired at the tame th e the famous balloon No It of AM cubic feet capacity which was built especially for the Signal Corps by Leo Stevens and three amen balmanufacture N9 loons of German cubic feet capacity each which are Intended primarily for signal work but which are proving very ueotal at Fort Xyer as reserve rosonwlrs tel the storage of a surplus nuppiy of hydrogen during the hifhurhMi of the Only a few mesh ago uic balloons he balloon squad took alt Inveatry uf its equipment sad burned vp three balloons which were not only besets ate but worn out for balloons
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Learned From Father Lahm made eight preparatory bal- loon journeys and under the tutelage of his father he acquired the scienceof ballooning more rapidly than any man has ever done before or since When as the upshot of this whirlwind into a new career Lahm deand feated his fifteen competitors night the English channel at
American service who had already had more or less prontwnced leanings to ward aeronautical work were fired with onthuetaam to take up military ballooning as a life work The outcome C the sentiment thus aroused was the Issuance of an order creating the aeronautical division oC the Signal Corps li war arranged to get out of storage the several balloons of foreign make which had been purchased by the United States during the Spanish war and had been in stor- age ever since and it was decided that the headquarter ot the new activities should be at a balloon house at Fort Dryer VA just across the Potomac from Washington and where the progress of the innovation could be closely wat hod by the administrative officials at the War Department Best of all It was arranged that Lieuten- ant Lam shctuld return from France to assume the personal djrocitan of

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Aeronautics and other officers notably Captain Chandler and Lieutenant Selfrldge of the Signal Corp pre- pared to make ballooning a specialty

thirty

e Squad Just a Year Old The order creating the aeronautical division of the army was Issued on August I 1907 and the balloon squad whch now gives so much promise of effective work was created with a membership of a sole Individual SergU Edward Ward who Is now the head of the lKtl body of professional balloonists who have gradually come under his standard The first thing Ward dUl after being detailed for his now duty was to spend some weeks at the balloon factory of Leo Stevens where he learned all that could be Iparned regarding the practical side of balloon construction and the physi- cal characteristics of the gas bags After some weeks another enlisted man was detailed for balloon work and he took a course of Instruction at the Stevens plant Lao Stevens is a former tightrope walker who has graduated to the dignity of Americas foremost balloon builder He had the contract for the big balloon which the balloon squad has used In its practice work during the last year and his manufactory is manifestly the best place on this side of UicVA lanUc to with baleen acquire that construction which enables the balloon

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squad men to make any needed repairsto balloons In their charge

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nection with the numerous ascents made during the past year the boys with the balloon squad had an oppor tunity to gain practical experience in connection th the aeronautic work at the Jamestown Exposition and at the second international balloon race at St Louis last autumn n of the work such is tie Casein that there have been vary few changesn squad in the personnel of th

C Select Men of Experience Gradually one by one other soldiers were added to the little group Every effort of balloon specialists men roa was wade to aotrof training or temperament might
be to develop

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balloonists For instance one ui tne men chosen upon his own applicationcame Into the squad fortified with nine years experience with traveling circuses and was a past master of the art of handling canvas manipu- lating ropes class of operationsnot so VOl different from some phases of balloon work Aside from eittty gained in handling the free and captive balloons of the army in con

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since its organization sid the roeter now comprises Edward Ward who enlisted from Kentucky Corporal Stewart K Rosenberger of Philadel phta Charles De KIm of New York William E McConneli of Georgia Cecil R Cone of Philadelphia Ed red of Denver Benjaartn ward 0 verasa L Schmidt of lUtnofe M of Burge of Illinois J Canton Ohio and Frederick lilrioh

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Ball aists Help Others The army baltoootats at Fort Myar r fta ave been ordered te hold nUn n redtoece to lend every aoifctamjc n the builders of airships who will ry o t their raft on the Virginia heights during the next few months Captain Baldwin the Wright brothers and other contractors bring their own mechanic said other helpers to tIM rial ground but they will find It of immense nuetstance to have the sod of a body of experienced bal be it knows it r utrM at lesser atx months to train a young mea te be f any practical nHpfnlaeas m baOoon work rnete Sam balloon estaVMnhuiunt s pretty well equipped In BiiiiHtham to x vast array of such standard ad uncle as baBaa lap anchors bai x there are matrumosits for kets reglst rm the fates power of a gas has and for teetla6 the quality of the meehaaaaal gas ta use Aa IDA assistant Is an apparatus operated by turning a crank and which intakes a balloon with air so that It may be tested for leaks or facilitates repair work The squad has the use of a high power automobile with which to follow aerial craft in tbetr flights sad the arrival of several Is daily II a IT constructed for the transportation of balloons sad equipment For the time be kindred lag the hydrogen gas used as the ttttIn the diri6ibl and an lag Aeedt Oanttaaed on Fifth Page
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Page Four

THE WASHINGTON TIMES MAGAZINE

July

26 1908

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