Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-07-04
RICHMOND WHIG.
TUESDAY MoRNING......JULY 4, 1865.
The Next Great Wonder Ofthe Age.
Construction OF n Flying Ma
chine for the u. -. Govern.
ment at HObOl1en, N. Y.
From the Journal of Commerce.

VI SOhiuiclit.l
A flying machine of novel form is now in pro.
cess OF construction at Hoboken, for the United
States Government. II was commenced during
the war and was intended for use in erial recon.
noisslnces OF the enemy's position. The war is
ever, but the machine is going on until its sue.
cess or failure is an established fact. The idea OF
the invention IS an old one, but this is the first
time that an attempt has been made to put 1t in
to practice. The Government was induced to
embark in the enterprise upon the strength of
certain experiments made by the late distinguish.
cd General (and ProfessoD Mitchsll. lie had
long been interested in the subject Of arial navi.
cation, and believed that the principle OF screw
propulsion could be made TO work in air as well
as in water.
His first aud only point was to demonstrate the
lifting power of screw fan moving horizontally
at different rates oil speed. The experimental fan
was placed upon p5le I'd an axis, up and down
which 1t could move freely. The fan was then
made 10 revolve at vari us rates OF speed at the
pleasure OF the operator. At one rate it would
merely lift itself, at another rate it would raise
twice its own weight: at another three times; and
30 on, until the fact was ascertained by compari.
son that fan with blades OF 20 feet diameter, Ie.
yolying at q certain rate of speed, would raise
six tons, and have considerable power to spare.
IL is only child's toy upon large scale. We
see every day in the streets toy venders who give
quick twirl with string TO a little fan upon a
stick, and 10 it shoots into the air 10 height OF
twenty or thirty feet, and descends slowly, still
revolving as it comes down. The Government
toy, as some persons will probably cell it. is a
cigar.shaped canoe, butt Of copper, with iron
ribs An engine is paced in the centre, with sulli-
cient power 10 work screw fan with % IT, blades.
There are four fans connected with the engine
one below, one above the canoe, and one at each
end.
The upper and lower fans are worked together
s1. I,tgn "a th1 farpn mo tntru IVA
made TO rey0lve together or separately, in tae
same direction, or N opposite directions, for the
purpose OF propellng the craft horizontally. The
weight OF Inc whole fully equipped and manned
is about six tons. 1t is claimed by those upon
whose recommendation the machine is construct
ed that it can be guided through the air with as
much ease as a vessel through the water. This ia
conditional, Of course to some extent upon the
wind. II vessel can be propelled through the
still air at u given number of miles per hour, il
NAV be made to stem a wind Of an equal number
OF miles per hour. If the power OF the neadwind
exceeds or is less than the propeliDg power, the
machine actually fails back or progresses in exact
proportion to the difference between the powers.
This truth should be borne in m.nd in considering
all schemes for air-sailing.
An accomplished government officer is superin
tending the work, and hopes TO have it done in q
month, when the pretensi0ns OF the new flying
machine will be tested.
Mr.. Solomon Andrews, OF Perth Anboy, N. j.,
whose remarkable achievements in eronautics
have BEEN certified to by number OF unim.
peachable witnesses, is ready with proposition
which may enlist the interest Of speculative
minds The invention of which Mr.. Andrews is
the undisputed father, is q cigar.shaped balloon
or three balloons fastened together with o
tribolite-filed with hydrogen gas. A car in
which the aronaut sits, is hung below this. The
long, Hat balloon Is so arranged that either END
of il can be depressed or elevated at wll, while
rudder, with q large surface enaoleI the voyager
to steer his air.ship. The conirvance is not de-
pendent upon the wind for its lateral motion, like
She ordinary balloon.
The principal upon which il il operated in still
air is US follows: One end Of the pointed gas
vessel is elevated at an angle of (say) ~ deg. the
other end being depressed and kept IN position by
shifting ballast
The machine then rises obliquely in drec.
ton which is the resultant OF tao tvrces, one the
ascending power Of the gas and the other the re
sistance Of the atmosphere. When sufficient
height has Teen attained, the ballast is shifted
again and the elevated end OF the balloon is de.
pressed. At the same time, a small quantity oil
gas is allowed TO escape, and the machine de.
scends obliquely still following the general line
of direction OF the ascent On nearing the earth,
a quantity OF ballast is thrown out ON the ero.
pauts car, the ballast OF the balloon again shifted
and up she goes and so on until gas and car
ballast are both expended. The general law eX.
pressed above with regard to wind applies TO this
as TO all other flying machines. If by its OBJ
lique ascension or dssension in still air it makes
given speed per hour, it will stem head wind
moving at the same rate OF speed.