Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-05-28
A Now Flying Machine.

Inc NOW 1OfK IftUHHe says tiiat u
Dr. Solomon Andrews, of Perth Amboy,
New Jersey, has invented and nearly
completed machine called the
i'Aereon, = or Flying Ship, designed to
navigate the air, not merely TO rise into
and float in it like balloon, ut the
mercys OF every current, but TO, travel
through it from place 10 place, in any
desired direction and at any wished for
rate of speed, with the winds across it or
against it, as the case may be.
After explaining the different parts OF
the apparatus, the manner Of operating
it is described as follows: The Aereon
being fully inflated and ready for its up
ward and onward flight, the eronaut
stems to the rear end of the car, thereby
elevating the forward end of the balloon
five, ten or twenty feet, as the case may
be, and, the machine being loosened, it
Immediately moves of in the direction
in which its bow is pointed, sliding upon
the track of compressed air formed IN
the cavity on its upper surface.
Having attained to rs great hight as
he wishes to 90, the navigator either
shifts his ballast or himself to the for
ward end of the car, thereby depressing
that end7-pulls the valve cord, and i'm
mediately begins TO descend at the same
angle in which he has ascended, but
still moving forward in the same direc-
ton. In nearing the ground he throws
out small quantity of ballast and again
ascends, and so repeats the operation, as
DIR. Andrews claims, until his ballast or
his gas is exhausted. When he desires
to alight, he has only TO step TO the mid
die or rear Of the boat-supposing he is
descending at the time-and by thus
elevating the bow, either check the mo-
mentum of his forward movement, or
sail horizontally along until he discovers
favorable placeto alight. ..'" r
DIR. Andrews claims also that his rnd-
der will turn the ship in midair with
more ease than an ordinary vessel is
managed in the water 1t will be seen
that his theory Of the management Of his
vessel is complete, No point has been
overlooked or neglected. There are of
course many minor circumstances con
neeted with the construction and man
agement of the machine, which We have
not space TO detail here, and which are
not necessary "a give the general reader
an idea of the general scope of the in
yeniion. Aeronauts and persons inter
ested in aerial navigation may, however,
derive many interesting, and perhaps
valuable suggestions from a personal in
spection of the apparatus.
Dr. Andrews claims, and with justice,
that he is entitled at least TO the indul-
gence of the public, until he shall have
shown either that his plan is entirely
practicable, or that the principle is a
fallacy. As he has constructed the appa-
ratus and conducts the test entirely at
his own expense, this certainly seems
little enough TO ask. He proposes,
within a few days, to have everything
complete for his trial trip, and then to
make it. He will sail around the city OF
New York in full view of all its inhab-
itants, and return TO the point from which
he set out Should be succeed in doing
this, few persons Will be inclined to deny
that the problem Of erial navigation has
been solved Its ,resalts may be esti-
mated when the theory shall have been
proved to be correct y k4 ~ 4