3 
_. The Austrians think that an altitude of about 800™ has the advantage of spoil- 
ing the effect of the enemy’s fire, whilst at the same time allowing observations to 
be made. 
With regard to distance, the conditions sought for are as follows :—Place the 
balloon outside the effective range of Field Artillery (about 4000™) without being 
so far off as to prevent the points, which it is wished to examine, from being 
clearly distinguished from the car. 
Lastly, any motion given to the balloon, whether vertically or laterally, renders 
the regulation of fire especially difficult. If movement spoils the observation of 
the balloonist, the motion must be intermittent, as has been the case in the more 
recent experiments, the officer in the car taking advantage of the moments of 
rest to make his observations. 
These were the ideas which seem to have guided the experiments made in 
Austria on the 10th July last. They were also carried on under conditions which 
approached as near as possible to those of real warfare. 
The balloon was placed at about 5000™ from the battery, and at a height of 
about 800™, and it was twice put in motion during the execution of the fire. 
Some details of these experiments are as follows :— 
The balloon ‘Budapest,’ which was 10™ in horizontal and 14™ in yertical 
diameter, was rapidly raised to a height of 800™. As soon as it showed itself 
above the horizon an eight-gun battery of 8°™ (about 3 inches) calibre began firing 
shrapnel at it, at a range of 5250™ (7000 paces). The angle of elevation varied 
from 25° to 27° and trenches had to be dug in the ground for the trails of the 
gun-carriages. 
After firing 8 rounds, an extreme limit of about 1000 paces was determined, 
and the captain was taking steps to find the range accurately, when the 
*pointeurs” informed him that the balloon was in motion. This movement, 
which was slow, might with the naked eye have been confused with the oscillations 
which always take place with captive balloons, but the ‘ pointeur,’ keeping his 
glass constantly fixed upon his target, clearly distinguished it. The range had to 
be obtained afresh. ' 
As soon as this second range had been approximated to, the balloon again 
changed its position and everything had to be begun over again. The 80 shrapnel 
allotted for the experiment were soon exhausted. They had liberated about 10,000 
bullets on bursting and the balloon continued to float tranquilly in space. 
When the balloon was lowered it was found that it had three small holes in it, 
which did not seem to have affected its ascending power. 
The battery was commanded by the captain-director of the School of Gunnery, 
the rest of the detachments had not received any special previous instruction. 
From general results of these experiments we may draw the following 
conclusion :— 
(1). A balloon may be struck a number of times by bullets or by small 
splinters without losing its ascending power, but a single rent of considerable 
aize, made by a whole projectile or by a large splinter, will cause its immediate 
fall. 
A captive balloon which is placed at an elevation of 800™ and at a lateral range 
of 5000™ from the hostile artillery and which changes position at intervals when 
the enemy’s fire is becoming dangerous, has a great chance of remaining intact. 
From these premises we may deduce the position which a detachment of 
balloonists with their matériel ought to occupy on the line of march of a column. 
Taking the case of an army corps marching upon two or more roads—and 
supposing the balloon-park to be with one of the columns, say a column of division, 
should it be placed with the advanced-guard, with the main-body, or in the interval 
between the two ? 
