The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-11-07
Is it Possible to Fly?

An interesting lecture on the above
subject was delivered by Mr.. Brearey, the
honorable secretary of the Aeronautical
Society in London, a few weeks ago, in
which he explained the principles upon
which aerial navigation must be conduct
ed, and indirectly condemned the pro-
posal to reach the pole by means of bal
looms. Flight, he said, was merely a me
chanical action, capable of imitation, that
it was unassisted by air cells or other con
trivances for affecting levity, and that
the balloon rs means of iocomotion was
useless to man, except in the waftage.
Having explained the rudiments 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 rs the atmosphere is in pro-
portion to the weight of water, the rarcr
, medium was capable of supporting a
creature much heavier than itself while
water, 800 times heavier, only sup
ported II fish of about equal weight, bulk
for bulk. The currents, too which crea-
lures in the rarer element had to cope
with, were out of all proportion to those
of water.
This apparent anomaly was capable of
explanation-it was due, as he said, to
flight by 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 bird without wings.
He gave some curious comparisons be-
tween different birds and insects, as to
the surface they presented to the atmos-
phere, and their weight. Thus the gnat
was of three million times less weight
than the Australian crane, but presented
in proportion 140 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 a 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 energetically 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 touched on the application of
steam to the navigation of the air. Until
lately it had been thought that this was
inadmissiblc as a motive power, because
of the cumbrous method of its gener-
alton, but it had been declared that when
steam could be applied with a weight not
exceeding twenty pounds per horse-pow
er, the problem wolld soon be solved.
This had been accomplished, and they
would hope the prognostiCation might be
true Man might not be able to reach
the mechanism of bird, but they might
all reach the problem in another way.
Many were now working at the problem
in secret-in secret, partly from fear of
ridicule, and partly from want of protec.
ton by patent.
The attitude of the Aeronautical 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 OFT by various demonstrations Civ
en- by Mr.. Brearey, illustrating different
modes of flight, including flight by proiec-
ton, gravity, force, surface and weight,and
propulsion by a plane surface. His mod
els of bats swooped down upon the heads
of the audience in manner quite natu-
raj. The birds, too, rose and fell in
graceful motion, as they trayerscd the air
from the platform to the other end of the
room, or. swerving t. the right or left,
bodied their beaks upon the side walls.
One large model of an albatross, with
spread of wing reaching 12l, feet (thc
average size of the living bird), came to
grief upon 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
(Ue) Transcript