Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-07-10
AERIAL NAVIGATION.

Mans attempts to navigate the air have
not vet succeeded, but he has in the attempt
learned many useful lessons. Ever since
the fire balloon was discovered the balloon
floating in the air by means of heated air,
coal gas or hydrogen gas, has played large
part in aerostation. When it was found
that it was possible to float upon the air
the conclusion was Immediately reached
that the problem was solved-that now man
could fly. It is almost needless to state that
all attempts at air navigation by simply
floating have proved failures. a ship floats
upon the surface of the sea, but we cannot
float upon the surface of the air. We must,
if we would fly, cleave passage through
the light and yielding element, as the fish
cleaves its way through the more substan-
tial water. Our guides in this matter can
not be the fishes, which move in an element
comparatively heavy; nor our own ships,
which move upon the surface OF the sea
much as we ourselves move upon the land,
the force Of the wind or Of steam overcom-
ing the resistance Of tho water. The prob
lem of air navigation is not TO overcome
resistance; it is to accumulate sufficient
resistance against which the broad surface
of our light but not floating machine can
act This must be done by imitation of the
methods by which flying animals make their
way through the air. Natural history will
solve the problem, if, as is probable, it is
ultimately solved. Inventors are beginning
to see this; but in a new and untraveled
path unforeseen practical difficulties arise,
and, though models may work well in the
workshop, the full.sized machines fail or act
in an uncertain manner in the air.
The most that can be done by the most
ingenious system of ballooningis so to regu-
late gas and ballast that we may rise at the
least possible expense of the latter and sink
with the least possible loss of the former.
This, with a definite knowledge on the part
of the aeronaut Of the direction of the wind
currents at various heights of the atmos-
phere, may enable him to change his path,
by rising and falling and may thus, in some
cases, land him somewhere near where he
wishes to go. But this is not aerial naviga-
ton. There is no power to go against, or
even at an angle, with the wind, and the
issue Of sucn journeys must always be very
doubtful.
Time was when it was supposed that man
but needed wings to be able to fly, but he has
found by dire disaster that there are wings
and wings that wing must be something
flap the air and that his own manly thorax
broad though it may be, is destitute Of the
muscular power Of the breast of bird, the
breastbone OF which has deep keel to re-
ceive the powerful pectoral muscles
The hird-wlng principle has not yet bscn work
cd up to success. 1t has been calculated that
threc.horsc power is required to support 100
pounds in the air, aud that wing surface large
enough to support q man would have to have a
spread of sixty fcetand width offour. But an en-
ginc and generator OF four-horsc power, weighing
only fifty pounds, has been constructed This
gives hope: but immense surfaces of wings or
vanes, however they may succeed in calm wealth
or, can never contend against gale. \ success
| ful air ship must keep itsclfup by great concen-
| tration of force. 1t must make up for small
spread by swift movcment-must whiz like Il
hummiug bird, rather than flap its wings like al
albatross. 4 combination OF electricity rs a mo-
tive force, with some very light metal, as alumni
mum, may finally, after long years, givo us the
desired engine, and long experiment may at
length fix on the correct form of the sails. vancs
wings or screws with which to act upon the air.
The heated ar.;rrial ship of Mr.. Fest does not
seem to be 4 step in the right direction, though
it is possible that it may prove an improved form
of baloon.Philadephia Record