The national leader., 1889-03-02
HAS HE THE WINGS OF A DovE9
A Scotchman's Flying Machine How
ers Over Coney Island.

A few weeks ago an adventurous
aeronaut succeeded in flying couple
of miles in the suburbs of New FORK.
with the aid of a huge machine that
had wings, and that seemed to use them
with considerable success. For some
thing like generation the inventor of
this flying machine had been at work
upon it and had been laughed at be-
cause of it as heartily as ever the ire
pressibly Keely, of motor fame, was
laughed at. But he was a ScotchDan,
who possesses true Scotch tenacity. He
stuck to his idea and finally had the
satisfaction Of seeing it's great wings
beat the air over Coney Island and
carry it considerable distance before
it was thought we'll to let it rest.
AS result Of this there has been Or
ganized a company with capital of
81, 100000, the object of which is to
educate the public in the matter of fly
ing and to supply the wings that will
be necessary.
This practical exhibition of faith in
the future of the flying business might
well arouse discussion, and it has done
so.
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 that NOR
tai man ought to know, is taking some
cogniZance of the affair at issue, and in
quiet way are discussing the question
as to whether or not man will be able
to fly. Many of the learned professors
insist that as man has by aid of machin-
cry, been able to propel himself through
the water, there is no reason why he
should not conquer the air in the same
manner. But many more of the pro-
fessors shake their heads in solemn
negatiOn.
Still the Scotch inventors success has
created an impression. His flying ma
chine is cigar shaped, some 60 feet in
length and AZ feet in diameter. Its
wings work exactly like those of a bird
by the aid of a propeller worked by
electricity and the passenger is carried
just as the eagle carries It's prey. 1t is
peculiar affair, but has been more
successful than anything of its kind
and hence the arguments among the
scientific professors. Most of these pro-
fessors believe that man will be able to
fly by means of mechanism only when
that mechanism is made after that of
the bird. One of these learned men
discussing the matter the other day ex-
pressed 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 ow-
ing to its power OF tightening its body
is we'll known.
''Should mau 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.''
In general way this seems to be the
opinion of scientific men. though few
will say just what their opinions are.
But these opinions of the learned are
humiliating enough in their way, for
they show that we are but a little ahead
of the anclents after all, despite the
general opinion that we have distanced
them. The authorities tell us that the
flying machine is of prehistoric origin.
We are told also that some 400 years
B. I. a wooden pigeon was made to fly
with considerable success. AS this eX-
plot was accomplished more than 100
years before the Montgolfer brothers
started their balloon on its flying trip
and more than 1900 years before the
trial of our Scotch inventors machine;
once Of the opinion on the part of ex-
perts that we must initiate the bird if
we would fly. we have not much to
boast of.
Just what will come of the discussion
at the Academy of Science remains to
he seen. Nothing at all NAV come of
it in the end except good deal of
theorizing. But in the meantime the
doughty Scotchman Is terribly in earn
est. He has worked nearly all his life
ON his invention, and now, backed as
he is by a capitalized company, he
thinks he sees success ahead.
He is confident that the time when
men will float through the air like Il
bird is approaching.