the dominion of the air-第31部分
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aptain； but in deference to the judgment of the experienced MM。 Godard； it being apparently their conviction that the balloon was heading out to sea； whereas； in reality； they were going due east； 〃with no sea at all before them nearer than the Caspian。〃
This was certainly an unpropitious trial trip for the vessel that had so ambitiously sought dominion over the air； and the next trial； which was embarked upon a fortnight later； Sunday； October 18th； was hardly less unfortunate。 Again the ascent was from the Champ de Mars； and the send…off lacked nothing in the way of splendour and circumstance。 The Emperor was present； for two hours an interested observer of the proceedings； the King of Greece also attended； and even entered the car； while another famous spectator was the popular Meyerbeer。 〃The Giant〃 first gave a preliminary demonstration of his power by taking up； for a cable's length； a living freight of some thirty individuals； and then； at 5。10 p。m。； started on its second free voyage； with nine souls on board； among them again being a lady； in the person of Madame Nadar。 For nearly twenty…four hours no tidings of the voyage were forthcoming； when a telegram was received stating that the balloon had passed over Compiegne； more than seventy miles from Paris； at 8。30 on the previous evening； and that Nadar had dropped the simple message； 〃All goes well！〃 A later telegram the same evening stated that the balloon had at midnight on Sunday passed the Belgian frontier over Erquelines； where the Custom House officials had challenged the travellers without receiving an answer。
But eight…and…forty hours since the start went by without further news； and excitement in Paris grew intense。 When the news came at last it was from Bremen； to say that Nadar's balloon had descended at Eystrup； Hanover； with five of the passengers injured； three seriously。 These three were M。 Nadar； his wife； and M。 St。 Felix。 M。 Nadar； in communicating this intelligence； added； 〃We owe our lives to the courage of Jules Godard。〃 The following signed testimony of M。 Louis Godard is forthcoming； and as it refers to an occasion which is among the most thrilling in aerial adventure； it may well be given without abridgment。 It is here transcribed almost literatim from Mr。 H。 Turner's valuable work； 〃Astra Castra。〃
〃The Giant；〃 after passing Lisle； proceeded in the direction of Belgium； where a fresh current； coming from the Channel； drove it over the marshes of Holland。 It was there that M。 Louis Godard proposed to descend to await the break of day； in order to recognise the situation and again to depart。 It was one in the morning； the night was dark； but the weather calm。 Unfortunately； this advice； supported by long experience； was not listened to。 〃The Giant〃 went on its way； and then Louis Godard no longer considered himself responsible for the consequences of the voyage。
The balloon coasted the Zuyder Zee； and then entered Hanover。 The sun began to appear； drying the netting and sides of the balloon； wet from its passage through the clouds； and produced a dilatation which elevated the aeronauts to 15；000 feet。 At eight o'clock the wind； blowing suddenly from the west； drove the balloon in a right line towards the North Sea。 It was necessary； at all hazards； to effect a descent。 This was a perilous affair； as the wind was blowing with extreme violence。 The brothers Godard assisted； by M。 Gabriel； opened the valve and got out the anchors； but； unfortunately； the horizontal progress of the balloon augmented from second to second。 The first obstacle which the anchors encountered was a tree； it was instantly uprooted； and dragged along to a second obstacle； a house； whose roof was carried off。 At this moment the two cables of the anchors were broken without the voyagers being aware of it。 Foreseeing the successive shocks that were about to ensuethe moment was criticalthe least forgetfulness might cause death。 To add to the difficulty； the balloon's inclined position did not permit of operating the valve； except on the hoop。
At the request of his brother； Jules Godard attempted the difficult work of climbing to this hoop； and； in spite of his known agility； he was obliged several times to renew the effort。 Alone； and not being able to detach the cord； M。 Louis Godard begged M。 Yon to join his brother on the hoop。 The two made themselves masters of the rope； which they passed to Louis Godard。 The latter secured it firmly； in spite of the shocks he received。 A violent impact shook the car and M。 de St。 Felix became entangled under the car as it was ploughing the ground。 It was impossible to render him any assistance； notwithstanding； Jules Godard； stimulated by his brother； leapt out to attempt mooring the balloon to the trees by means of the ropes。 M。 Montgolfier； entangled in the same manner； was re…seated in time and saved by Louis Godard。
At this moment others leapt out and escaped with a few contusions。 The car； dragged along by the balloon； broke trees more than half a yard in diameter and overthrew everything that opposed it。
Louis Godard made M。 Yon leap out of the car to assist Madame Nadar； but a terrible shock threw out MM。 Nadar； Louis Godard； and Montgolfier； the two first against the ground； the third into the water。 Madame Nadar； in spite of the efforts of the voyagers； remained the last； and found herself squeezed between the ground and the car； which had fallen upon her。 More than twenty minutes elapsed before it was possible to disentangle her； in spite of the most vigorous efforts on the part of everyone。 It was at this moment the balloon burst and； like a furious monster； destroyed everything around it。 Immediately afterwards they ran to the assistance of M。 de St。 Felix； who had been left behind； and whose face was one ghastly wound； and covered with blood and mire。 He had an arm broken； his chest grazed and bruised。
After this accident； though a creditable future lay in store for 〃The Giant；〃 its monstrous and unwieldy car was condemned； and presently removed to the Crystal Palace； where it was daily visited by large crowds。
It is impossible to dismiss this brief sketch of French balloonists of this period without paying some due tribute to M。 Depuis Delcourt； equally well known in the literary and scientific world； and regarded in his own country as a father among aeronauts。 Born in 1802； his recollection went back to the time of Montgolfier and Charles； to the feats of Garnerin； and the death of Madame Blanchard。 He established the Aerostatic and Meteorological Society of France； and was the author of many works； as well as of a journal dealing with aerial navigation。 He closed a life devoted to the pursuit and advancement of aerostation in April； 1864。
Before very long； events began shaping themselves in the political world which were destined to bring the balloon in France into yet greater prominence。 But we should mention that already its capabilities in time of war to meet the requirements of military operations had been scientifically and systematically tested； and of these trials it will be necessary to speak without further delay。
Reference has already been made in these pages to a valuable article contributed in 1862 by Lieutenant G。 Grover； R。E。； to the Royal Engineers' papers。 From this report it would appear that the balloon； as a means of reconnoitring； was employed with somewhat uncertain success at the battle of Solferino； the brothers Godard being engaged as aeronauts。 The balloon used was a Montgolfier； or fire balloon； and； in spite of its ready inflation； MM。 Godard considered it； from the difficulty of maintaining within it the necessary degree of buoyancy； far inferior to the gas inflated balloon。 On the other hand； the Austrian Engineer Committee were of a contrary opinion。 It would seem that no very definite conclusions had been arrived at with respect to the use and value of the military balloon up to the time of the commencement of the American War in 1862。
It was now that the practice of ballooning became a recognised department of military manoeuvres； and a valuable report appears in the above…mentioned papers from the pen of Captain F。 Beaumont； R。E。 According to this officer； the Americans made trial of two different balloons； both hydrogen inflated； one having a capacity of about 13；000 cubic feet； and the other about twice as large。 It was this latter that the Americans used almost exclusively； it being found to afford more steadiness and safety； and to be the means； sometimes desirable； of taking up more than two persons。 The difficulty of sufficient gas supply seems to have been well met。 Two generators sufficed； these being 〃nothing more than large tanks of wood； acid…proof inside； and of sufficient strength to resist the expansive action of the gas； they were provided with suitable stopcocks for regulating the admission of the gas； and with manhole covers for introducing the necessary materials。〃 The gas； as evolved； being made to pass successively through two vessels containing lime water； was delivered cool and purified into the balloon； and as the sulphuric acid needed for the process was found sufficiently cheap； and scrap iron also required was readily come by； it would seem that practical difficulties in the field were reduced to a minimum。
According to Captain Beaumont； the difficulties which might have been expected from windy weather were not considerable； and twenty…five or thirty men sufficed to convey the balloon easily； when inflated； over all obstacles。 The transport of the bulk of the rest of the apparatus does not read； on paper； a very serious matter。 The two generators required four horses each； and the acid and balloon carts as many more。 Arrived on the scene of action； the drill itself was a simple matter。 A squad of thirty men under an officer sufficed to get the balloon into position； and to arrange the ballast so that； with all in； there was a lifting power of some thirty pounds。 Then； at the word of command； the men together drop the car； and seize the three guy ropes； of which one is made to pass through a snatch block firmly secured。 The guy ropes are then payed out according to the directions of
