Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-08-18
Navigating the Air.

l peheu against the currents or our WeS4eFH IlNeIs without oars or aid from the shore, not only would he have been laughed al, but it could have been mathematicaily demonstrated that such thing was impossible
 The possI b.lity of navigating the air has been discussed since the earliest period of history Mythology is full of it and it enters into the lore of all ages. Intellectual attempts at flying were made as early as the twelfth century, l The ballo oons were one great step towards it. At present, great m any are engaged in at tempts to solve the problem, and we give below some of the plans proposed
 Discoveries may be accidental and instantane- ous, but inventions are the work of tme of pa tience and of thought Men have spent their | lives in endeavoring to solve problems of this character and died ere they have reached solu- ton. Others taking the track where they left it have followed itup and ultimately arrived at sue cess. Looking back at the discoveries and inven- tions during the past fifty years, it is not at all l improbable that before the close of the present century erial vessels will be as common as water craft are now.
 To show what is being done, we give first the plan of lshman Walker, formerly of Memphis, and late lecturer in Texas on the subject of 1 erial nayigation:
 " He proposed building vessel in the shape of mountain trout, three hundred and sixty five feet in length, to be impelled through the air by means of screw propellers, driven by caloric engine at the somewhat exciting speed of three hundred miles per hour, and at the giddy height of two miles from mother earth Mir. Walker presents plausible theory He has memoraiized Congress on the subject, and deposited in the patent office a draft of his boat aud entire machinery. He seems thoroughly satifed of the feasibility and ultimate success of his project"
 J. Steiner, of Pennsylvania, proposes to cross the Atlantic in balloon one hundred feet in diameter. We copy portion of letter pub lished in the Telegraph
 :" I am satisfied in my own mind that wi.ll such an apparatus, l could cross the Atlantic in D hours, and the whole cost would not be more than S2O,OO0 The balloon, network, and valve would weigh about 20UO pounds, and the boat and rigsgrg three ton and half-this will leave about eight tones ascending power. for provisions, passengers and ballast l. would require three good ocean navigatorS and one as trouomer, besides myself l would suggest New fork as the starting point, and am certain l would strike within 2UO miles Of any given distance in Europe. l would suggest May as the time for making the experiment., and would make the attempt in l059 if l could get the government or others 10 ass st me-
 We have not now at our hands description ofthe machines proposed by the Fren oh ero- nauts. A full description of them and other proposed balloon vehicles was published in one of the northern papers last spring.
 Lord Darlington of Ireland, has invented machine which is thus described:
 Much has been said, oflate, respecting an ari- al machine Invented by the Vscouut CarIingford aud great results appear to be anticipated by the inventor aud others from its u,e This ma. chine or chariot as it is called, is in form some thing like boat, extremely light with one wheel In front and two behind, turning two wings slightly concave fixed to it's sides, and sustained by laths of half hollow form pres. sing against them, and communicating their pressure through the body of the machine from one wlpg to the other, and supported by cords, whose force, acting on two hoops nearly of an oval shape, holds the wings firmly in their po- sition, using force of not less than ten tons on the well-known principle of corded musical in- struments.
 Another pecnliarty of this machine is. that 1t IS provided with tail that can be raised or lowered at pleasure, and which serves for vino anseleyating or declining position, and worked by cord that communicates into the interior of the machine being drawn forward by what is termed an aerlal screw, which screws into the ar at an elevation of forty-hve degrees. similar to birds wing, and turned by means of a winch acting on three multiplying wheels. The wings oi the machine covered with net work, 't heightened square shape, which pro- duces the effect of birds feathers when inc chariot 1oats on the air, covered with silk. but so adJnsted that no pocket, as it were, can be formed by the pressure of the silk on the air The upper part Is finished in the same manner and both sides oi the wings aie covered with varnish."
 Since the above description was published a trial has been made of the machine, and in q letter to the Kilkenny Moderator, Lord Caring ford says:
 Although have not yet taken flight in the achredou-whch name l have given to my Rrial chariot--I may with confidence anl truth announce to you and the world the sue cess of is principle from the results obtained by experiment three days ago. Having made some little Improvement in the plan of starting the achredon, which consisted in applying q crook to the top and then hooking it to a cord supported between two poles, in the manner of swing, and having raised 1t about two feet from the ground, and then drawing it back about two yards and giving it a slight pull for ward, it then started off, then elevated itself lltte Tn the air and after going a short distance ahghted in the most gentle manner. It acted h th:s way in consequence Of the tail not hav- ing been fastened down. By this experiment it must be considered that the principle is fully established, as well as the perfect manner of starting 1t. When 1 have made few more experiments and found out the weight the pres ent extent ofwing will be able to bear, and if found sufficient to carry person without being put to any great speed which I consider most likely to be the case, 1t shall be taken to Dublin without delay and there exhibited for charitable DurDOspS and fo thp oriticfaroS of f,ll