Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1901 — TRIVMPHS OVER AIR. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRIVMPHS OVER AIR.

The problem of aerial navigation has at last been solved. It is unquestionably epoch-making news that has been cabled from Paris, France, describing M. Santos-Dumont’s aerial voyage around the Eiffel tower and over the suburbs of Paris. Man’s triumph over the paths of the air has come with this accomplishment. The gifted Brazilian’s performances were as much in advance of Count Zeppelin’s and other previous accomplishments as the latter surpassed ordinary ballooning. Salt* Agaln.t Wind. M. Santos-Dumont left St. Cloud in his new airship, circulated around the

Eiffel tower, and wept back nearly to the starting point, a distance of ten miles, in forty minutes. But unfortunately when near home his motor failed him and he was obliged to rip his silken balloon to hasten descent and avoid injury. Notwithstanding this accident M. Santos-Dumont’s experiment was a success in that the balloon navigated against tae wind for the first time in the history of airship construction. One or two minor defects which can be easily remedied in a few hours prevented the complete carrying out of the tests, but It is safe to prophesy that within a month M. Santos-Dumont’s invention will hold as complete dominion over the air as a ship does over the sea;

M. Santos-Dumont’B immediate object has been to win the prize of 100,000 francs offered a year ago by M. Deutsch, the Rouen petroleum refiner. The conditions required that a start be made in the neighborhood of St. Cloud, that the Eiffel tower be circled three times, and that the airship then return to its starting place at an average sped of not less than thirteen miles an hour. More than one Inventor has been struggling under this incentive. Hence M. Santos-Dumont has been working at the greatest speed lest he be forestalled, and he undertook the test at the earlist moment. He has already discovered several possible Improvements which will increase the mobility and safety of the airship. The Deutsch prize amounts to $20,000 in United States money. Around th« Tower* * M. Santos-Dumont reached the Eiffel tower at 7 o’clock in the morning. His balloon was being propelled through the atmosphere apparently with ease and greater grace than a

steam yacht plows the seas. M. San-tos-Dumont sat in the forward part of the car handling the lines which controlled the "engine and the rudder. The balloon glided along, toward the Eiffel tower, its coat reflecting the beams of the early sun, apparently obeying the will of the steerer willingly. Nearing the tower on the south side the baloon maintained its course until it was less than fifty yards away, when it gracefully turned northward! M. Santos-Dumont continued to turn his machine until it pointed directly westward. It seemed to be absolutely unhampered by the wind. It passed the Eiffel tower at an altitude of about 10 meters between the first and second stages. The entrance to the

Pafc was obstructed by two very high sheds in which M. Deutsch, donator of the prize, is building a large balloon for the purpose of winning it himself. M. Santos-Dumont made repeated attempts against the wind to enter the Parc between the sheds. The struggle lasted five minutes. The supply of petroleum then became exhausted and the machine was left to the mercy of the wind. Finding that the motor worked irregularly and then stopped suddenly, M. Santos-Dumont, in order to prevent the ballon from being carried away, tore the silk covering In order to allow the gas to escape and make a quick descent. The machine, however, was blown across-the Seine and became entangled in a chestnut tree in Edmund Rothschild’s garden. The aeronaut descended without injury. Almost his first word was that he would yet succeed In winning th* $20,000 prize. Cost i Fortune. The ship Is the outgrowth of several years of work and experiment on the part of the inventor. This machine

was only recently completed. The gearing apparatus is suspended from a huge cigar-shaped balloon. The motor Is a gasoline engine which drives the shaft of the screw. The aeronaut sits in the saddle and starts the motor by means of a pedal and chain gear, as in the case of a motor cycle. The gasoline is contained in the upper cylinder and in the lower and larger cylinder Is a reservoir of water which is used as a ballast. The machine cost its inventor a fortune.

COURSE TAKEN BY THE AIRSHIP IN ITS FLIGHT.