Members of this Society may be forgiven if, in view of the glorious progress of aviation, they regard the balloon as an extinct species of aeronautical apparatus. The object of this paper is to show that, in spite of the strides aviation has made, the balloon still has its part to play in the navigation and study of the air, and that those who go to the trouble of making balloon ascents not only reap considerable pleasure by employing that means of transit, but they also learn facts about the atmosphere which may be of service to them in becoming more than mere chauffeurs of aeroplanes.

The best sailors who navigate our steamships have served their apprenticeship on sailing vessels, where they learn the true force and effects of winds and gain a knowledge of the sea not so readily acquired under steam power. In the same way, I venture to suggest that the much–despised balloon is a means for acquiring a knowledge of the atmosphere which cannot be gained when tearing through the air at fifty miles an hour.