Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-10-17
rns AL OF FLYING.
~ A.. IIav1 the Air-Ship Before the
Close OF the Pre- cent Century
Boston Ierald.l

found himself able to increase ms MAUI
raj mowers by adapting to bis uses the |
forods IF nature attempts have been /
made to fly through the ar, though IN
no case has there been any consplcu-
ons success IL is, perhaps, discou-
raging to give time and attention 10 tAe
work OF developing something upon
which so much human time, energy, and !
ingenuity have been wasted, but there is |
tbis much To he said III defence OF those |
who are seeking to devise and perfect |
dvino.machines that modern science
aud Invention have surrounded their ef-
forts with more favorable conditions
than have hitherto existed.
The would-be inventors OF Tying ma
chimes are always abnormally sanguine,
and invariably believe that II they had
sufficient sum Of money to perfect their
plans they could quickly solve the
problem of air-nayigaion. But some
anite as confident as any who now 1--we
have had the needed money and have
wasted large amounts OF II without
achieving success. Still it should be
rointed out that, although these failures
are well known 70 II OF those interested
in the study of aerostation, tie members
nj fine aeronautic societies OF Eng
land. France, apd Germany, many OF
them OF scientific attainment aud VINO
have Given patient study to the subject
of ar navigation. are strongly OIL lhe
opinion that we are on the exc OF great
discoveries in this respect and that at any
time the world may be startled by an IN
yention which will perhaps be more re-
markable than any that has hitherto
been made that is, the discovery OF
means of safely, economically, and sue
cessfully flying through the air.
These hopes OF great Development
in aeronautics rest on this scientlnc Da-
sis That experience has shown that I'M.
der certain conditions the resistance OF
the mir is as great as the resistance OF
the earth. and, assuming the proper con-
ditions. II should be just as easy to MAIN
tain body in the air or propel IL
through the air as to rest 1t upon tue
ground or propel it over the ground. AS
an illustration of air resistance, 1t IS
pointed ont that il quantity OF gunpow-
der freely exposed to the air, Is exploded
upon the surface OF rock the result Is
merely bright fameand aputfo smoke,
the gases generated passing of harm
lessly into the air in consequence OF Its
light resistance when compared with the
resistance of the rock. On the other
hand. when giant powder or dynamite Is
exploded under similar conditions the
rock upon which the explosion occurs
has great assures made in 1t, because IN
this instance the resistance offered by
the air is greater than the resistance OIL
fered by the rock, and the force OF the
explosion is driven downward rather
| than upward.
Now, why this difference? Merely
because, in one case, that is gunpowder,
the explosion is a slow process, while IN
| the other it is a quick one therefore the
| conclusion is drawn that, provided mo-
ton is sufficiently rapid, resistance can
be encountered in the air amply suill'
| cient for the mechanical work OF lifting
upward and driving forward. Assuming,
then, the existence OF a comparative
ly light body supplied with ma
chinery which can drive propellers
at an exceedingly high rate of speed,
and the conditions would seem to be
present which are needed to insure safe
air navigation. We have in aluminium a
metal which fully supplies the needed
quality of strength and hghtness. and,
| with improvements, there IS reason to
believe that in a few years more this
metal will be quite as cheap If not
cheaper than copper We have in pc
troleum q concentrated fuel which may
be used to generate large amount OF
power with the minimum OF weight and
waste. 1t is also possible that in a short
time more we shall have light batteries
in which large quantities of electricity
can be stored, to be drawn upon when
ever the force Is needed.
These are all possibilities of the near
future, and they, one and al, hold cut
the promise of enabling some one, even
in this generation, to solve problem
that has detied the utmost skill OF man
in past ages. When one considers that
the discovery and utilization of a safe
and economical means OF air navigation
would imply the more or less speedy
abandonment of almost all of our present
means of land and water transportation,
the tremendous economic and social reyo'
luton that would result from the discOv'
cry we have referred to can be per
haps family imagined. The successful
trial "trip of an air-ship would in twenty
four hours time cut down by half tho
value of all the railroads and steamship:
in the world, because 1t would afford al
opportunity of cheapening to an IN
credible extent the cost of transporting
both persons and merchandise. ii may
be that this generation will have passed
away before this discovery is made; but
on the other hand, 1t ID not impossible
that this great invention will he brought
into public use before the close OF thC
present century.
Mental Mamma Gathered from Spurgeon
Truth is truth, even when dressed II
homespun. e, =.
An ant can never make honey, II il
works its heart out
Men ride stays when they hunt FOL
gain. and snails when on the road Il
Heaven.
No matter where a man lives he is sure
TO have one thorn-bush near his door.
Who can be school-teacher TO child
sixty years old |?
The greatest rogue is the piou'
rogue.
Never stop the plow to catch mouse
The higher monkey Climbs the
more his tail is seen.
A wild goose never lays tame egg.
1t is best to kill the lion while 1t is {
cub.
Idleness is the key OF beggary, ant
the root OF al evil
Idle men tempt the devil to temp
them.
sift sluggard, grain by grain, an(
you'll find him allchaf
He who knows nothing is confident o
everything.
Good This Duchess Does.
lPail-NaIl GazetIe.l