Victor Hugo to Nadar 13-Jan-1864
(A letter rediscovered by Jules Claretie and published in 1907. Long.)
Hugo praises the heroism of Nadar and other pioneer aeronauts.
He compares the established technology, le ballon, with the up-and-coming technology, l'hélicoptère (which concept might in 1864 have included the germ of the airplane). "Le nuage, c'est le ballon. L'oiseau, c'est l'hélicoptère."
Then gets into use in warfare. Comparing marine navigation with aerial navigation: "D'abord, différance radicale à noter, est dont l'oubli a égar'e bien des chercheurs: la navigation aquatique est une navigation dessus, la navigation aérienne est une navigation dedans. Sur l'eau; dans l'air." Navigation on water is horizontal, at the interface between two domains, etc. Aerial navigation gives the pilot much more control. Thus assimilation of air power into navies is absurd.
Uses the term "aéroscaphe" (also mentioned in Patent FR-1863-59572), i.e., aero-skiff, in context of comparison with boats.
Sources
- Ouvres Complètes de Victor Hugo: Actes et Paroles, Vol. II: Pendant l'exil, 1852–1870; pp. 410 –
- Quoted in Armengaud jeune, 1909, Le Probleme de l'Aviation, p. 8
| Sender | Victor Hugo |
|---|---|
| Recipient | Nadar |
| Date sent | 13-Jan-1864 |
| From location | Hautville House, St. Pierre Port, Guernsey |
| To location | |
| Communication type | letter |
| Language | French |
| Refers to flight? | 1 |
| Tech fields | LTA, helicopter, military |
| Length (in words) | |
| Full text available |
