WAR BALLOONS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5168, 25 November 1884, Page 3

WAR BALLOONS.

; (Army and Navy Gazette.) i There is a deal of nonsense written, 1 spoken, and printed in reference to the use I of ballooning for the purposes of war. ■ Until a balloon is navigable in the same ! way as a ship is navigable, capable of I direction by sail or steam, it cannot be I used with certainty — that is, there may be i occasions on which a balloon may be relied ! on to obtain information not to be had 1 otherwise; but it is quite uncertain whether : a balloon can be used when wanted. A ' free balloon, in the nature of things, is ! practically valueless for war purposes, ex- , cept for escape from a beleaguered city or • invested city outside of which there is : safety in descent. If a balloon were sent ! up free from any position, it would be car- . ried in the direction of the enemy with- ; out any means of returning when the : current of air set from the front, and it ! would be absurd to send up a free balloon to sail in the rear of the position. When a captive balloon is employed, the air must j be quite still, or the balloon begins to I rotate at the end of its tether. If the wind j be strong in the direction of the enemy, the ' rotation is violent and the balloon is deI pressed, with unpleasant possibility of capture and destruction. If the wind be the other way, the occupants of the balloon have a very unsatisfactory view of their ! own camp and none of the enemy's. In low i countries, under favourable conditions, captive balloons may secure good results, but in Nnbia, near the Nile, where there is j always a strong north or south wind, much i mirage, dust storm 3, &c. balloons would be j a mockery, a delusion, and a humbug. Still \ it can be no harm to have one on an off- | chance.