, 1889-03-20
CAN MEN LEARN TO rln


A Problem Agitating the Academy of Sci
enee-A Company to Boom Invention
An adventurous aeronaut succeeded
In flying a couple of miles in the sub
urbs OF New York, with the aid of a
huge machine that had wings, and that
seemed TO usszthem with considerable
For Something like a genera
ton the ipSsftor of this flying ma
chine had been at work upon il, and
had been laughed at because OF il as
heartily as aver the irrepressible keely,
of motor fame, was laughed at But he
was a Scotchman, who possessed true
Scotch tenacity. He stuck TO his idea
and finally had the satisfaction of see
ing its great wings beat the air over
Coney Island and carry it a consider
able distance before it was thought
well TO let it rest.
As q result of this there has been or
ganized a company with a capital of
81, 900, 900, the object of which is edu
cate the public in the matter of flying,
and to supply the wings that will be
necessary.
Even the august academy of sci
ences, which once every week discus
ses subjects that most people know
nothing about, and whose members
know pretty much everything hat
mortal mar ought to know, is taking
some cognizance of the affair at issue,
and in a quiet way are discussing the
question as to whether or not man
will be able to fly. Many of tho
learned professors insist that, Is man
has by the help of machinery been able
TO propel himself through the water,
there is no rcaso why he should not
conquer the air in the same manner.
But many more of the professors shake
their heads in solemn negation when
this argument is advanced.
Still the Scotch inventors C
has created an impression. His fly
feet IN length and 40 feet in diameter.
Its wings work exactly like those of a
bird by the aid of q propeller worked
by electricity, and the passenger is
carried justas an eagle carries its prey.
IL is a peculiar affair, but has been
moro successful than anything of its
kind, and hence the arguments among
the scientific professors. Most of these
professors believe that man will be
able to fly by mechanism only when
that mechanism is made after that of
the bird. One of these learned men,
discussing the matter the other day,
expressed this opinion. He said that
from the earliest time the dominant
wish of man had been to fly after the
manner and method of the bird.
Most models of the air ships that have
been attempted have been after the
bird of flight, and particularly of the
sea bird, whose ability for continual
flight, owing toHthe power of tighten
ing its body, is well Known.
"Should man ever fly successfully"
said the learned man, '.he will have to
do it by means of mechanism modelled
after the elastic and muscular form of
the sea bird"
The authorities tell us that the fly
ing machine is of p~rehistorical origin.
We are told also that some 400 years
B. c.. q wooden pigeon was made to
fly with considerable success. AS this
exploit was accomplished more than
1900 years before the trial of our
Scotch inventors machine we have
not much to boast of.
Just what will come of the discus
sion at the Academy of Science re-
mains to be seen. Nothing at all may
come of it in the end except n good
deal Of theorizing. But in the mean
time Patrick @. Campbell, the doughty
S~cotchman, who is the inventor of a
machine that made the successful flight
through the air, is going right ahead
and is terribly in earnest. He has
worked nearly all his life on his inven-
ton, and now, backed as he is by a
capitalized company, he thinks he sees
success ahead.-New York Mail and
Express.