All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

238 All About Inventions But whereas the gaze of the public was animated purely from motives of curiosity, that of the military at Chalais-Meudon, although every whit as keen, was prompted from a totally different reason. In silence, and scarcely daring to breathe, they followed the course of the slender golden-coloured vessel head- ing towards the city. There was a strange tension about their attitude which the man in the street could never have fathomed. Presently, one and all gave a sigh of profound relief, followed immediately by frantic rounds of boisterous cheering, which in turn gave way to keen and animated discussion. There was every excuse for the tense breathlessness and exuberant enthusiasm. That floating vessel re- presented the answer to years of thought and study and months of practical experiment. Theories which for so long had been merely of academical interest were being subjected to the exacting and critical test of practical application, the outcome of which, if success were achieved, it would be impossible to divine. But the wild huzzas which burst with vol- canic force from the throats of the clustered soldiery and officials related only too potently that some- thing momentous had not only been attempted, but had been done. The afternoon of August 9th, 1884, ushered in definitely the era of aerial travel. The balloon which had been the object of such absorbing attraction was the airship La France, and was the creation of Captain Renard, the director of the aeronautical establishment and of his brother officer, Captain Krebs. Six years of patient joint labour were represented in this dirigible measuring 165 feet in length by 27J feet maximum diameter.