Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1874-06-27
Travelling in the Air,

The world has been greatly disap-
pointed with regard to balloons, and it
would seem that the idea OF being able
to navigate the atmosphere by such
means must be altogether given mp.
For some years past there has existed
in England an Aeronautical Society,
and the members of that association
have expended a good deal of money
and time in their efforts TO promote the
aeronauic art. A general meeting of
the society has Just been held, at which
the chairman has declared that a bal
loon is an impeachment to an aerial ma
chine, so that the apparatus must be
managed without it." If this be so,
the invention of the balloon has really
done nothing towards the achievement
of aerial locomotion. The power of
Aotation is given, but the means of 6i-
rection are wanting. A balloon may,
indeed, be directed, if its course be i'm
peded by means of drag-rope or some
analogous method. A balloon thus
checked in its progress may be worked
aside from the current by the use of
sails but there are great practical OBJ
iections to such mode of navigating
the air. The method might be toler-
ated in the heart of Africa, in the mid
die of the Sahara, or in the Polar cir
Gle. 1t might even be managed in mid
ocean. But the drag.rope of balloon
is formidable affair, capable of doing
great damage to house property, grow
| ing crops, live stock, and human
beings. 1t would be an exceedingly
inconvenient visitor on line of rail-
way. We are, therefore. obliged to
abandon the balloon, and are thrown
| like our forefathers. But mechanical
skill has made immense progress with
in the last century, SO that if the notion
of navigating the upper regions is not
altogether chimerical, we ought to be
making some advance toward the aero
nautic goal. The secretary of the so
ciety to which we have alluded, state;
that machine has been invented IL
France to fly by wings alone. This
may mean little or nothing. The mag
nitude of the machine has to be con
sidered, and the rate of travelling. 4
toy machine may very well be made t.
wing its way certain distance, but i
may be incapable of further develop
ment. The intelligence of machine
being devised in New York, weighing
three tons, with air-blades of sheet-irol
twenty-four feet in diameter, to b.
worked by engines of fifteen hors
power, had reached the society. Blu
the secretary states that the power pro
posed is not sufficient for the purpose
A more powerful engine involves
greater weight, and there seems littl
chance that steam-engines will tax
wings and fly away. One of the mem
bers of the society announces that h
has machine in hand in which the lc
connective power depends on the use c
light wooden fans. Another member ]
able to show number of clever model
and interesting experiments. Blu
putting all the facts together, ther
seems to be literally no progress mad
towards attaining the end in. view
namely, travelling through the air in
determinate direction. Taking til
whole range of applied science,
would seem that pretty nearly ever,
thing is practicable, or about to becom
SO, except this one thing, over which S
much thought and ingenuity have bee
expended.