One of the most remarkable balloons ever constructed, and one of the most remarkable voyages ever made in any balloon, was that of the mammoth aerostat constructed by the noted Parisian photographer, Nadar, in 1863. Nadar belonged to the school of aviators who opposed the principle of the balloon as against that of the aeroplane, and his idea in constructing this leviathan balloon was simply for the purpose of raising money so that he might build a practical flying-machine, constructed on the aeroplane principle, and which, he declared, would revolutionize air navigation. The Giant, he said, would be the last balloon ever constructed, as thereafter air-ships, made on the principle of the one he was about to construct, would supplant balloons entirely. His plan was to make the ascent in the Giant from some large enclosed field near Paris, and the admission price of one franc to be charged for entering the field was to supply funds for defraying the expense of building the Giant, the surplus to be used in constructing his flying-machine.
In making the Giant twenty-one thousand yards of silk were used, the balloon being over two hundred feet in height, with a lifting capacity of nine thousand pounds. It was built as a double balloon, one within the other, this being the idea of the aeronaut, Louis Godard, as a means of preserving the excess of gas produced by dilation at different altitudes, instead of losing this excess as was usual with balloons constructed in the ordinary manner. But perhaps the most interesting thing about this balloon was the structure of the car and its contents. Like the ordinary car it was constructed of wicker work, but was of the proportions of a small house, being built two stories high, with an upper platform like the deck of a ship, on which the passengers could stand. In the two floors below were a saloon, compartments for scientific instruments, sleeping-cabins, and practically all the conveniences of a small, modern house. In the car and suspended about it were wheels, guns, a printing-press, cameras, cages of carrier-pigeons, baskets of wine and provisions, games, and an "abundant supply of confectionery."
The first ascent was made from the Champs de Mars, and twenty-five thousand persons paid the admission fee to witness it. This did not by any means represent the number of persons on the field, as the barriers were broken down in many places early in the day, and a majority of the spectators thus gained free admission. Fifteen persons made the ascent upon this occasion, but instead of making a protracted voyage as intended at first, the balloon was brought to the earth at nine o'clock in the evening only a few leagues from Paris. It is said that this landing was made contrary to the wishes of Nadar, but in deference to the opinion of the Godard brothers, who believed that the balloon was being carried out to sea, whereas, in point of fact it was travelling due east, directly away from the Atlantic.
Three weeks later the second ascent was made, on this occasion eight instead of fifteen persons starting on the voyage. These were under the immediate command of Nadar, whose position was that of the captain of a ship on the high seas, and whose authority none might presume to question. A set of rules governing the conduct of those on board and setting forth explicitly the authority of the captain was posted in the cabin, the nature of some of these giving a cue to the peculiar attitude of mind of the originator of the scheme. For example, it was ordered that "Silence must be absolutely observed when ordered by the captain." "All gambling is expressly prohibited." "On landing no passenger must quit the balloon without permission duly acquired from the captain."
The ascent was again successful, the balloon travelling in a northeasterly direction during the night, all the passengers remaining awake and alert, having constantly in mind the danger of falling into the sea. The following morning on descending to a lower altitude through the clouds, the voyagers found that they were passing the border of Holland, near the sea. At this point an attempt was made to land, but a violent gale having arisen, the anchor cables were broken, and the car was dragged along the surface of the ground at terrific speed, striking and rebounding into the air, dragging through marshes and rivers, bruising and battering the occupants who were unable either to leave the balloon or to check its flight. As they were whirling across the country in this manner an immense forest came into view directly in their path, and believing that when this was reached every occupant of the car would be dashed to pieces against the trees, they decided to take their chances by leaping. One after another they jumped, striking the earth and turning over and over, breaking bones, and mangling faces and bodies. The only female occupant of the car, Mrs. Nadar, was fortunate in alighting in a river without serious injury. Others received only slight bruises or a severe jolting while the most unfortunate, M. St. Felix, had a broken arm, a dislocated ankle, and numerous cuts and bruises.
Later the Giant was captured many miles farther on and returned to its owners in Paris. Subsequently it made numerous voyages, none of which was particularly profitable, however, so that the purpose for which it was designed was not fulfilled, and Nadar's proposed air-ship was never constructed.
While the Giant was the largest balloon hitherto constructed, it broke no records either for speed attained or distance travelled, and much more notable performances in this respect had been made before its time and have been made since. Thus, one of Coxwell's balloons traveled from Berlin in the direction of Dantzig, covering the distance of one hundred and seventy miles in three hours. This was in 1849; and in the same year M. Arban crossed the Alps from Marseilles to Turin, covering the distance of four hundred miles in eight hours. In July, 1859, the American aeronaut, John Wise, sailed from St. Louis, Missouri, to Henderson, in New York State, in nineteen hours, travelling eight hundred and fifty miles at the rate of forty-six miles an hour. This was the longest voyage ever made until the time of the balloon-races started from the Paris Exposition, in 1900. On this occasion Conte de la Vaux, starting from Paris, remained in the air thirty-five hours and forty-five minutes, landing at Korosticheff, in Russia, 1193 miles from the starting-point, thus breaking all previous records.
EARLY WAR-BALLOONS AND DIRIGIBLE BALLOONS
Despite the fact that the "aviators"—the aeronauts whose efforts were directed to flight by mechanical means in imitation of birds, or by the use of what are now called aeroplanes—were in the field centuries before the balloon was invented, from the time of the first Montgolfier balloon until very recently, the balloonists had shown their rivals a clean pair of heels in practical results. A dirigible, man-carrying balloon that can be guided under favorable conditions, and can maintain itself in the air for any considerable length of time, was an accomplished fact at least five years before the practical aeroplane flying-machine. Yet the majority of scientists had become convinced several years before their convictions were verified by actual demonstration, that some type of mechanical flying-machine—a machine that is heavier than the atmosphere and that maintains itself by some mechanical means—was the only one likely to solve the question of aerial flight. Yet thus far balloons have rendered more actual service to man than flying-machines.