New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-23
TILE COMING AIR-SHIP.

The fate of the air vOyager, Professor Hogan,
is not to be classed with that of the senSeess
person who jumped into eternity from lofty
bridge. or the other senseless person who rode
through the Niagara whirlpool in barrel.
Aerial navigation has been the dream of the
thoughtful for half century. a generation
has passed since the Poet Laureate
saw the heavens flied with commerce, argosies Of
magic sails
Pilots OF the purple twilight, dropping down with
costly bales
Heard the heavens filed with shouting I'LL there
raihed ghastly dew.
From the nations airy naves graphing in the central
blue"
Though the dream Is yet drea m though the
object of 50 much endeavor has not yet been
attained, still for years past the true question
has been, not whether air voyages were pos
sibe but whether the means had been devised
for making them with economy, certainty and
safety. For great progress already attained
the world owes much to those who have tested
hundreds Of appliances, made thousands of
journeys through the air, and recorded with
more or less scientific accuracy their experiences
and circumstances. a few have sacrificed their
lives in these voyages Of discovery, and to them
also the world owes its tribute.
For the object is well worth ali the effort and
genius which have been devoted to it, Aerial
navigation would create u new world, as truly
a. steam navigation GU land and sea have Gre
sted new world within the last century. If
the air can he trayelSed at all with certainty
and safety. much higher rates of speed are to
be expected than have been attained on land
or water, though perhaps not with bulky or
heavy loads. For the movement Of passengers
with the greatest possible comfort and enjoy
ment and for the swift transportation Of letters
and packages Of small size the air path will
be preferable to any other The oceans and
lakes will cease to divide nations, even as little
as they do now for with ordinary fortune
VOYAGE across the Atlantic might be made in
two days as easily as il is now in six. and prob
ably with far less chances of disaster if the
problem was once solved at ALL Given the
mower TO travel through the air in any direction
at will 10 rise above storm or drop below All
opposing current Of air, and to pursue the
Journey at higher or lower attitudes as the com
fort Of passengers may prompt, and the whole
world would be revolutionzed.
Many of the great inventions Of late years
seem to place mankind even nearer the desired
success in navigation Of the air. The electric
motor supplies power in many respects better
adapted to the purpose than any other; in
fact. as long as the problem was how to sup
port passengers and Steam-engine Of sulfi-
Gent power to give speed. with the necessary
fuel, it seemed well-righ insolube. The dis
coveiy Of aluminium, and Of economical pro
cesses for is production from common clay. ia
~.
ligbtneSs and strength of that metal rendering
it peculiarly adapted TO the purpose. When ii
can be produced chraply, and fashioned into
desired foJms the ar-Ship Of the future viii
not be far away. But il may prove that the
world need net wit for further developments.
Inventions and ingenious constructions already
in existence seem TO approach 80 near the de-
sired result that no one will be much surprised
it, almost any day the "pilCts Of the purple
twilight" should begin TO traverse the air.