Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-27
,xUv MEN caSxoT TLy.


oiaeering triumphs. 1t is distinguishes
rom all the centuries which have PIE
c.ded it as the age of steam ana elec-
t-;c;tv Of rapid transportation for hn-
man beings and their products, and iof
bringing all the world in instant CUM
municatiou, one part with another.
Others eras n ay have surpassed Us IN
literature and art. Some Of our me'"-
nhve;cal science may no. be so wonder
fnl TO the future az it seems to u.s. put
onr mechanical aud engineering ae'ei-
opmeut has been SO far beyond any
.h;no of the same sort in the past, even
taking many centuries together tha'
this century is separated from 'ne
a;obteenth by the broadest gulf IN the
history of human progress from era TO
era.
Yet with all our mechanical triumphs
and oar engineering achievements we
are no further advanced in one respect
than men we're one hundred years ago.
or thousand years ago. We nave hot
been able to construct flying maeniiie
and ballooning, except to some siignt
extent for military purposes, - SIN
nothing more than an amusement OF no
practical value.
We do not seem to be any nearer nylne
than men were at the beginning OF the
Christian era. Our modern engineers
have not yet constructed practical ny
inc machine: nay, they have not yet 80
much as taken the first step IN that di-
rection. Many half-cracked fellows
have devoted their moiety OF brains 10
deyising such contrivances, as others
have spent theirs in the attempt 10 soiSe
the uusolvable problem OF perpetual
motion. But no man has been able to
make his fortune by getting up ma
chine which would give us the'novel re-
taxation of flying through the air ike a
bird. and as bicyclists travel over the
ground on their velocipedes. And how
fashionable the amusement would be II
IL could only be made safe and delight
full!
The London Enquirer, which mas
lately discussed flying machines IN a
aSisntific way. comes to the conclusion
that there is no combination OF wings
or arrangement of any kind which will
enable a man to fly with his own
strength. He lacks muscular power to
practise the accomplishments In which
the birds ere 80 proficient. And even II
machines are devised to compensate for
that lack of power and endurance, they
will not be successful unless they shall
be so constructed that each pound OF
the machine will develop as much on
erpy as each pound Of bird. mot TIL
them" says this engineering critic, ear
flight for man be achieved"
Because birds fly, that is no reason
why man should do the same thing
even il he il able to fit himself with
wings as we'll adapted TO the body as the
wings of the bird are to his physical
construction. Already 'the wings OF
many model flying machines act just rs
do those of the rock and other birds,
whose movements are slow enough fol
US to observe just how they fly. Fol
there is a great difference among Bird
AZ to the rapidity of their flight, and
not only that, but also AZ to the gracs
with which they d0it. They have var
ious styles of moving through the air
some graceful ara others comparativel,
clu nsy, just as the walk of a COURT,
woman differs from that of Siou,
squaw. ave have no doubt" says oul
London contemporary, "that if mef
could onoe fly, we should soon have al
many styles development as there arr
men,"
We have said that the reason men IL
not fly is not merely because they lacl
wings, but also because they are no
strong enough. There is no bird o
flight which weighs as much as even |
very light man. but there are man,
birds which are far stronger than men
The limit OF weight beyond which tn
Dir cannot be utilized for bird flight i
somewhere about thirty pounds. Natur
does not produce heavier birds, an,
doubtless for the reason that the air i
not the proper home for animals weigh
ing more. 1.-THE conditions unde
which species are developed" says tn
Eng,neer, fare such that everything
goes rs far us it can go in size an,
speed" The roo of Eastern story i
pronounces mechanically impossible
crearure."
The albotress is the largest bird in OK
istencs and one of the herviest. Then
are other heavier birds with limite,
powers of flying, but the maximum
weight Of any natural flying machia
which can fly we'll does not excee,
thirty pounds. according to the Eu
gineer; and the weight of the albatros
seldom, II ever, exceeds twenty -eigh
pounds, or one sixth that of powerful
man. Bat the albatross can keep il
wings, thirteen feet long from tip :
tip, in motion for whole day, while th
strongest man would be exhausted if h
had to keep beating the air with then
half an hour. And to fly he woult
need far heavier wings to be kept il
motion.
After mathematical calculation th
EMgiaeer comes TO the conclusion tina
the albatross possesses ~ much muscu
lar energy ~ man. and far moro en-
durance, with whieh to propel th
twenty eight pounds of its body. Nv
have in the bird" it adds, "a machin
burning concentrated fuel in iarg
CRATE at a tremendous rate. and develop
ing very large power in small space
There is no engine in existence, Ger
tainly no steam engine aud boiler CON
binsd, which, weight for weight, give
out anything like the mechanical powe
exhibited by the albatross."
Men, therefore. will have TO give a