Forty-storey-high instrument balloon starts a 20-mile soar.
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UP GO THE BALLOONS
UP
UP
You have probably
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heard about letters being photographed and sent on tiny microfilm to their destination. You may think this is some- thing new.
But, during the French and German War 90 years ago, the French Pent microphotographs of mail out of Paris by balloon.
The city was under siege, and this was the method they thought up to commu- nicate with those outside the city.
a
Just a few months ago balloon carried a scientist almost 20 miles above the earth's sur- face, a record height for man But balloons have been bearing people into the sky for almost 200 years-long before the aero- plane was invented.
The principle of balloon flige is really quite simple. If an ob- ject is lighter than the air whose space it occupies it will float upward into the atmosphere, The problem was not in making a balloon but Andinig a substance that is lighter thani air.
Balloons were used for observation during the US. Civil War. This drawing shows
one being sent aloft by Union troops over Confederate lines.
*
Soon, scientists discovered that hydrogen gas is lighter than air, even when cold. This · gas was used until just a few years ago to lift balloons,
The trouble with hydrogen is burns easily, and is that it dangerous. Now safe helium gas is used.
Before the French used bal- loons in the siege of Paris, Federal troops in the American Civil War sent up scouting bal loons over enemy lines. balloons were held from being blown away by long cables.
The
Soldiers in the balloons sent messages by telegraph cable Back in 1783, two French- back to the ground. men, the Mongolfier (mongolf- The 1897 balloon flight of ee-ay) brothers designed à bal- Swedish engineer
Salamon loon that was open on the bot- Andree is described as perhaps: tom. They found that air itself, the most daring lighter-than-air when heated, was lighter than fight ever attempted. the regular air" around them. With two companions he set One day, with two passengers off in an attempt to float over the board, they built a fire under North Pole, The men were never the balloon (being careful not heard from again.
to burn it). As the air inside Their bodies were found on warmed, the balloon rose won- an arctic island 33 years later. derfully into the sky. As the air Their balloon had dropped cooled, the balloon slowly settled back to earth and they had died back to earth. Man's first flight. of the cold.
London Tower's
Tower's ungrateful
ravens
Swedish scientists take off in 1897 for a balloon over the North Pole. They crashed and died,
Reel Corner
KATE
even bite the hand that feeds them ROBBY DARIN, soon to be seen in "Pepe," who was De recently by the New York Times, as being THE most pampered birds in the world Cora, Corax, "the most striking instance of the renaissance - of show-
Gunn, Garvie and Cronk—are the five ravens who strutmanship," has a self-appointed goal. the lawns of the Tower of London. Until recently when than anyone has ever made it Kala died, there was a sixth.
want to make it faster
before," he says. "Td; like to be the biggest thing in show
This quintet has earned the dislike of every Beefeater guard in business by the time I'm 25 the historic fortress. They are raucous, aggressive, evil-tempered and fold-a legend!"
not above biting the hand that feeds them.
Yet they dre forgiven every crime, fed two meals every day and guarded as closely as the Crown Jewels.
Since King Charles II's day, the English have believed that the Tower would fall and the Empire collapse if there were no ravens living there.
Back in 1078 the Tower of London consisted of the same White Tower, around which the present lesser towers are now grouped.
THE FEAST
Those were the days before a sanitation department. The boys of the Tower were apt to toss an odd leg of chicken or venison -over the battlements.
Ravens from all over gath- cred for the feast. They soon gave up commuting to the woods and took up residence around the Tower itself.
as
Through the centuries, Tower Hill became part of the City of London—and, because ravens won't breed in captivity -the supply of birds fell off. Finally the number dropped to six. And so it was until Kala's
recent death.
of
It is the special du's of one the Beefeaters, Yeoman
Bobby will reach his - 25th --- birthday on May 14, 196... Br that time the dynamic. young entertainer may well have achieved his goal. In all events, he'll be right up there with the best of them barring ary un foreseen pitfalls on his meteoric rise in the entertainment ranks. The sleepy-eyed young singer took time out from his night. club and recording dates in the Autumn of 1960 to minke his fea- ture motion picture; debut in "Come September," co-starring Rock Hudson, Gina Lollobrigida; Sandra Deo and Walter Sięzak.
The comedy-romance is Rock Hudsha's first independent ven-.
Bobby Darin
Tell Me
ture under his Seven Pictures new filmm, - :“Tammuny, Corp. banner. for release by True" Universal and is being filmed Dadin is highly entirely on locations in Italy. about his venture
It was during this production motion picture me that Darin and Sandra Dee thrives on ch romantically paired in the ment, and on screen story, developed a real- ing and conqu life whirlwind romanet. ̈
challenges of new- The day after "Come Septem- ness areas.
ber" was completed, they an- Not content to be just nounced their engagement and singer, he has taught himself wedding plans, then surprised how to play the piano, vibra everyone by eloping to Eliza phone, drums and guitar beth, NJ. on December 1, 1960, and also how to dance,
A Newark magistrate united At the age of 24, the young- them in 3 am, ceremonies at the ster who - made: “Mack The home of Darin's close friend, Knife" one of the most popular Donald Kirschner, and im songs in history, possesses: “B mediately following the wed- degree of stage presence and pay-ding they boarded a plane for flair for showmanship which Hollywood, where Sandra was some performers never achieve to begin preparations for her in a life-time.
The raven master of the Tower of London holds Garvie for tourists to pet. But watch out he has a sharp beak! Quartermaster Henry Thomas set, and their wings are clipped Johns-who rejoices in the title every three months.
after The job carries an extra them night and day. They are ment of one shilling a day.
Steve Libby fed regularly, penned up at sun-
Raven Master-to
look
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