The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-10-29
LOCOMOTION IN THE AIR,

Before tho Close of this Century.
From the earliest historic time flying has
been means of locomotion which has had
a strange fascination to mankind, and prob
ably as early as man found himself able to
increase his natural powers BY adapting to
his uses the forces of nature attempts have
been made to fly through the air, though in
no case has there been any conspicuous sue
cess, says the Boston Herald. It is,
perhaps, Encouraging to give time and
attention to the work Of developing
something upon which 30 much human
time, energy and ingenuity have beer
wasted; but there is this much to be said ii
defense of those who are seeking to devise
and perfect flying machines, that modern
science and invention have surrounded their
efforts with more favorable conditions than
have hitherto existed.
The would-be' inventors of flying ma
chimes are always abnormally sanguine. and
cient sum of money to perfect their plans,
they could quickly solve the problem of air
navigation. But some quite as confident
as any who now live have had the needed
money, and have wasted large amounts
of 1t without achieving success. Still,
~ 8nOulO Do pOluteO OUT tuAbs 0It0OuR0
these failures are we'll known to all of those
interested in the study OF aerostation, the
members of the aeronautic societies of Eng
land, France and Germany, many of them
of scientific attainment, and who have Civ
en- patient study to the subject of air navi-
cation, are strongly of the opinion that we
are on the eve Of great discoveries in thi!
may be startled by an invention which will
perhaps be moro remarkable than any
that has hitherto been made; that is,
the discovery of . means of safely. eco
nomioally and successfully flying through
| the air.
aeronautios rest on this scientific basis
that experience has shown that under Ger.
tain conditions the resistance of the air il
az great 40 the resistance Of the earth, and
assuming the proper conditions, II should
be just - easy to maintain Q body in thu
air or propel it through the air - to rest i
ground. As an illustration Of air resistant,
it 10 pointed out that il quantity Of gun
powder, freely exposed TO the air, is ex
ploded upon the surface Of rock, thu
result 10 merely bright dame and pun o
smoke, the Rases generated pa0nR Of
harmlessly into the air in consequence o
ito light resistance when compared with tn.
resistance of the rock. On tho other hand
whom giant powder or dynamite ID exploded
under similar conditions, the rock upol
which the explosion oocurs has great 10
sures made in it, because in this instano
the resistance offered by the air y create
the force Of the explosion u driven down
ward rather than upward.
Now, why this di6erenco2 Merely be
cause. in one casa. that i, Runpowder, Il
explosion il q SLOW prooeo1 while in th
other it Is quick ons; thsfefore, Tho con
!. VNvva On AAAA NH &SnNN
sufficiently rapid, Resistance can be en-
countered in the air amply s1fRoisnt for tn
mechanical work Of lifting upward an
driving forward. AaanminN then tho OF
ietenoe Of comparatively light body, suE
piled with machinery which can drive PIX
81 speed, and tho oosdisioo: voai
: seem to be present which .,
needed to insure safe air .ayiga
, ton. We have in aluminum metal who
fully supplies Tho needed quality Of strengt
!. and ightness, and with ilnprovsment
there i reason 70 believe that h few yea
more this metal will b q.ite - cheap,
J troleum . concentrated fuel which may
used to generate large amcunt OF pow!
with the minimum Of weight and waste.
, il also possible that in eh0rt time mo
: No shah have light batteries in which Lar
{ Quantities Of electricity can % ssofeo:
~ SAoWAA 0k&SSS WAVSSVvVA 49, S~sS~
needed.
Al Thess are all possibilities Of the near {
ture, and they, ono and all, hold ont q
promise OF enabling soma one, even IN e
eensration. to solve problem that has d
he'd the utmost skill OF man in past age
d Whsn ono considers that the discovery q
. utilization Of aafe and economical mea
J of air navigation would imply The more |
lees speedy abandonment of almost all
It our present means Of land and water tran
y portaticn, the Tremendous eeonomio q
social revolution that would resalt fro
" the discovery 10 have refeFfod 10 can
perhaps family imagined. Ths suooss1f
: trial trip Of an air shio would in twsot
four ho1rs' time cut down BY half ths val
Of all the railroads and stsAmehipa in Z
l. world. because il would a1osd O OPP
% tunity for cheapeninQ to IN inarefibte .
= tent the cost Of transporting both psr1n
B and merchandise. u may b that tkts -
Grafton viii havs passsd away bsf0ee z
discovery y nDAdD; but, On tbs uther hAH
= il u mot Impossible that this great inys
~ sion viii b broagAt into pa6lio - 6eee
- the eeoso q ~ psUosnt eonsuzy.