Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-08-25
nrsps rn.r DID NOT SOAR.
ryes,sser Lameasser's Fiyisg Ma
chimes Unsstisfactory.

chimes GutAtstoetoSSs
A Buffalo IN. ~ special says: The
members Of the American Association
for the Advancement Of Science spent
considerable time this morning In ridi'
culipr one Of their fellows. There was
n rash for the section Of mechanical
science where the models Of soaring
birds Of Professor Lancaster were an
nounced to be exhibited. The capacity
Of the room was altogether too small for
the demands upon il. There was great
disappointment exhibited when the
spectators saw that the model, instead
OF being soaring bird made from pa
per or pssteboard, was simply wooden
frame with an iron bar aud pair oil
scales. Professor Lancaster had mum.
Der of diagrams, with which no en-
deayored to show the effects Of pressure
in different directions on body, which
would have a tendency to cause the
body to ascend on an inclined plane In
a greater degree than its descent IN
vertical direction. IL would be harder
10 explain the alleged scientific pr1nci-
pies Of Professor Lancaster's paper
than il would be, rs was evident, to
make the professors of mathematics
and mechanical science present believe
that the lecturers views were correct.
Professor Lancaster was frequently In
terrupted with questions from the in
credulous audience, who asked an ex-
PLANTATION of his technical utterances,
but his answers were not satisfactory.
When President Morse appeared on
the scene and the model Of the flying
machine was not forthcoming, he ener-
getically attacked the principles ex-
pounded by the soariDg-bird man. The
people had been given to understand
that the soaring birds would be ex-
hibited, and it looked rather suspicious,
to say the least, that although, as Mr.
Lancaster had said, the models could
be quickly made, he showed no sign
OF one. He had said that down In
Florida be made experiments sue
cessfully, and that five years ago
President Morse moved the suspension
of the discussion. to give Mr.. Lancaster
an opportunity 10 so out upon the
square and try model. A member
present then arose and said: " Here is
man who will give 800 if he will
make a model OF a soaring-bird that
will work." Subsequently 81, 600 was
offered on the same basis, but neither
was taken. AS one member put it, the
model of the soaring-birds OF Florida
would so far have to overcome the law
Of grayitaticn as to fall up instead oil
down.
A paper was read prepared by Adolf
Kaiser and Albert B. Young on pneu-
matte process for making bicarbonate
of soda. The process is a new one,
and received its first advertisement to-
day. The discoveries have been work.
ing over two years on it, and have just
perfected it. Probably works on an
extensive scale will be put up here, as
Buffalo is contiguous to the salt-helds
and coal is cheap.
Probably the greatest interest was ex-
cited by the discussion on the Niagara
gorge before the geological section,
which continued all day. Professor X.
S. Woodsrd, of Washington read pa
per on the rate Of recession of Niagara
Falls. He said that the area Of rock
worn away at Horseshoe Falls between
the wears 1912 and 1875 was 1880
square feet, equal to AIS acres; be-
tween 1912 and 1886, 24,500 square
feet. or 5.G2 acres; between 1875 and
1886, 900 square feet, or 1871 acres.
The main length Of the contour of the
falls is $500 feet. The time required
to recede one mile, if the rate is "a
feet per year, is 1900 years. The
minimum values for the yearly rate OF
recession, 4. e., average rate along the
whole contour, are From 1912 to
1875, ga feet; 1912 to 1886, 2.42;
1876 to 1886, 2.3S feet.
Another paper which attracted much
attention was that of Professor h. W.
Claypole, of Buchtel College, Ohio, on
buffalo and Chicago; or, What Might
Haye Been" in which he showed by
how slight thing Buffalo became the
outlet of lake navigation and Chicago
the port at the head. The watershed
behind Chicago is but IL feet above
Lake Michigan and rs feet above Lake
Erie. The biologists Of Buffalo know
that the land on both sides of the Ma
CARA river is only few feet above
the water. Consequently dam 20
feet high across the river at Black
Rock would be sufficient to throw the
water of the upper lakes into the Mis-
sissippi by the Illinois river. Another
professor said that in his opinion the
critical time in the relations OF Buffalo
and Chicago was to come in the future.
The work Of the Association IS now
we'll in hand, and will DO concluded to-
morrow. This afternoon the fires in
the furnace of the Buffalo Crematory
were lighted for the benefit of the
scientists.
The Curious VIII OF u Greek banker.
A Craak hanker of Constantin0Dle