BALLOONS IN WAR.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 9712, 8 April 1899, Page 5

BALLOONS IN WAR.

EFFECTS OF GUN SHOTS.

Wilb regard to the effect of gun shots upon a balloon, experiments have lately been made in England (says a London • contemporary). A shot was fired from a Lebel rille at a balloon at an altitude of 500 foot. It only penetrated the fabric below the equator, and no appreciable result ensued. After this many shots were fired, several penetrating the balloon, and passing out near the upper \iilve. Alter a lapse of six hours the balloon descended quietly to the ground, by reason of the loss of gas through the bullet holes. But it appeared that, whatever the number of shots, the loss was never sufficient to cause the balloon j to fall rapidly. On another occasion a shrapnel shell was fired from a seven-pounder Armstrong gun at a balloon having an altitndo of 1500 ft. but Ibis being above the limit of elevation of tho gun it was impossible to hit it. In any case, had it boon possible' to do so, tho shell would have penetrated the balloon below the equator and passed out again so low down as to caiino no serious loss of gas. Indeed, a balloon loses but little of its lifting power— that is, little of its gns — if tho hole is made below the equator. Once a gore was split up to within a few foot of the upper valve ; at first the balloon fell rapidly, then the wind filled out ' l)ie flapping fabric, and it sailed quietly to tho earth. The British corps is the only one which exclusively employs skin for its balloons, the Italians and Germans making use of silk and sometimes cotton; though the skin, by its impermeability — the loss of gas being only 3 per < cent, in 24 hours— is far superior to the last named materials. 1