The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-11-14
Is it Possible to Fly?

An interesting lecture on the above
subject was delivered by Mr. Brearey, the
honorable secretary of the Acronautical
Society in London, Il few weeks ago, in
which he explained the principles upon
which aerial navigation must be conduct
ed and indirectly condemned the pro-
poSa to reach the pole by means of bal
looms. Flight, he said, was merely me
chanicnl action, capable Of imitation, that
it was unasssted by air cells or other con.
trivances for affecting levity, and that
the balloon as a means Of l0com0tion WAS
useless to man, except in tie waftagc
Having explained the rudimcnts of
aerial science, and detailed the various
experiments made by English and foreign
inventors, showing what their progress
had been, he pointed out the curious fact
that light as the atmosphere is in pro-
portion to the weight IF water, the rarer
medium was capable Of supporting a
creature much heavier than itself while
water, 500 times heavier, only sup
ported fish OF about equal weight, bulk
for bulk. The currents. too, which crca-
lures in the rarer element had to cope
with, were out of all proportion to those
of water.
This apparent anomaly was capable of
cxplanaIlDn-it was due, as he said, to
flight by Il merely mechanical action.
Surprising fish bore the same proportion
al weight to their elemental medium as
birds do to the atmosphere, they would
have to be made of something heavier
than platinum. AS it was, a fish was
really n bird without wings.
,,,y, coma, ,,r;,,,s oo,,n.,;s,no ho
tween different birds and insects, as to
the surface they presented to the atmos-
pherc, and their weight. Thus the gnat
was of three million times less weight
than the Australian crane, but presented
in proportion 40 times more surface to
the air; and between these two there were
almost all gradations
In these investigations lay some of the
most hopeful facts which seemed to rem
der aerial navigation possible, and if man
could get sufficient surface, he could
surely get sufficient machine power for
propulsion. 1t was not so much IA ques-
ton of power as Of the right application
of power. There was also the question
of balance. The manner in which bird
kept its balance whilst its wings were
being cncrgetically worked alternately
above and below its centre of gravity
was marvellous. Mr.. Brearey thought
that with the example OF the bicycle, the
question of balance Would not present
much difficulty.
He then touche on the application of
steam to the navigation OF the air. Until
lately it had been thought that this was
ina3mi,,ib.c rs motive power, because
e ,Ln hrht. moi hbI bt it.
atioi, but it had been declared that when
steam could be applied with weight no.,
exceeding twenty pounds per horse pow
er. the problem would soon he solved
This had been accomplished, and they
would hope the progEo.ticatjon might be
true. Man might not be able to reach
the mechanism of u bird, but they might
all reach the problem in another way.
Many were now working at the problem
in ,raret-in secret, partly from fear of
ridicu'c, and partly from want of protcc
ton by patent.
The attitude of the Aeronautic4l so.
cicty towards inventors was explained
and the lecturer concluded by asking
whether he had not shown Just cause for
further research into this most interesting
subject
The lecture had considerable interest
Added toit by various demonstrations Civ
en- 10y Mr.. Brearey, illustrating different
modes of flight, including flight by proiec
ton, gravity, force, surface and weight,and
propulsion by plane surface. His mod
els If bats swooped down upon the heads
Of the audience in manner quite natu-
raj The birds, too, rose aud fell in
A. 81 4. IL. 1 Al
from the platform to the other end of the
room, or, swerving To the right or left,
bodaed their beak, upon the side walls.
One large model of an albatross, with "a
spread of wing reaching 1913 feet (thc
average sizc of the living biru), came to
grief upon a gas pendant, just as it was
bending its flight into the regions of the
upper air. Huge butterflies were also
sent living about the room Portland
(Nel Transcript.