M. DUPUY DE LOME’S NEW NAVIGATING BALLOON 1872 VICTORIAN ENGRAVING

Original 11 3/4 inch x 8 3/4 inch Engraving titled M. DUPUY DE LOME’S NEW NAVIGATING BALLOON - THE ASCENT AT FORT VINCENNES.

Stanislas Charles Henri Dupuy de Lôme (1816 – 1885) was a French naval architect. In 1870 he devoted a large amount of time to perfecting a practical navigable balloon, and the French Government gave him great assistance in carrying out the experiments. These experiments led to the development of one of the first navigable balloons, named the Dupuy de Lôme.
The Dupuy de Lôme airship was 36 metres in length, 14.84 metres in diameter, 29 metres tall, and had a total volume of 3,454 cubic metres. It was powered by a crank, which was operated by 4 or 8 men and which could provide a speed of between 9 and 11 km/h. The basket under the balloon could carry 14 people.

From The Graphic February 24th, 1872
The Graphic was a British weekly illustrated newspaper, first published on 4 December 1869 by William Luson Thomas's company Illustrated Newspapers Limited. It continued to be published weekly under this title until 23 April 1932 and then changed title to The National Graphic between 28 April and 14 July 1932; it then ceased publication, after 3,266 issues.

Page size 15 1/2 inch x 11 1/2 inch

The engraving is in very good condition. Printed text on the reverse.