Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-18
No Nearer Realized Now Than in
the Time of the MontgolferS.
NAVIGATION OF THE ATMOSPHERE.
Darius Greens of High and Low Degree All
on a Common Plane
In THE TEXED MECHANICAL SOLUTION
WRITTEN FOR THE DISPATCH. !

within the century. But to one fairly con-
versant with the physics of modern trans
portation it is evident that, while much has
been done, much may yet be done in these
directions Before entering on this aerial
theme few predatory observations may be
in order.
OF all the weight of creatures on the
EARTH il is probable that SO per cent areTe-
stricted TO land and water in their methods
of locomotion. while the remaining 1 per
cent can cleave and TRANSPORT themselves
through the air 1t is noticeable that the
flyers pass but small per cent of their
time actually on the wing, and their flights,
as rule, save when migrating, are OF short
duration. 1t may also be observed that
the larger winged creatures do not fly
st all, but simply use their wings to accel-
crate their speed as runners.
The flyers that are strict cleavers and that
lift and propel themselves through the
atmosphere. seldom reach the 80 pound
mark in weight, and in anything like pro-
tracted fight, carry only their own person.
ality. Not one so far as known, is capable
of carving half its own weight in flight
and with burden of one-fourth its own
avoirdupois, this is accomplished at tre-
meHdous expenditure of energy, which can
be maintained for only briet period.
Suspended From Gas Bag.
This then, is about the situation so far as
natures handiwork shows any insight to
to this problem of aerial navigation.
Now. to be suspended from gas bag and
thas float witt an air current is no more
navigating the air, than floating on a log at
the mercy of the wind and tide, is
naviCatin the ocean. Nothing of much
practical consequence has vet come from
floating in the air, suspended from an in
iated sphere, and this has been going on
since the Montgolfier brothers made their
ascensions in France, more than century
ago. ANY proposition to construct an air
snip on this foundation-a case in which
the foundation is on top-with a view of
entering the domain of practical utility,
NAV safely be set down as chimercal
AT best, two points must be mastered to
insure success These are control of direc-
ton and at least some control of motion. A
verv large surface is involved in the con-
struction of anything that is to lift by mere
buoyancv, much surface. in fact, that no
inventor has vet come to the front TO dem
onstrate by any fair analysis, how he
proposes to work against a current
foot. For that matter, no one has vet
demonstrated that he can move in any
direction at viii, current or no current. The
air IS variable; terra frma is not. Air cur
rents NAV veer from side to side, ND or down,
backward or forward, with much force or lit
tie force, changing instantly from one ex-
treme 10 another, and some mighty power
would necessarily be required in propul-
sion to move steadily through the ever
ol,a
Not one of the list of would-be aerial ship
inventors mas as yet given an inkling that
he has anything more than an Arcadian or
ideal idea on the subject, and the prattle to
which the public is treated has an exceed
ingly Juvenile flavor, and has become ex-
cessively wearisome.
Let any of these gentlemen who are so
vociferous In their good intentions, con-
struct light carriage and place the same on |
a level line of track, and then, while their |
mechanism is not charged with lifting any,
thing, let them show by any plan of air |
cleavage to what rate Of speed they can pro- |
pei their vehicle.
Must Help Locomotion First.
Let them as a preliminary step demon
strate that their flying feature can be made |
available as an aid to locomotion on wheels, |
as the ostrich raises his wings as an aid to |
speed in running. This would be only a |
small part, only minor part of the solution |
of the problem, but it would be at least |
logical beginning, and the initial step in |
the direction of an accomplishment
There is nothing hazarded in affirming |
that not one of these inventions has as vet |
produced any device that will urge light |
car forward in dead calm on a dead level |
at the rate of one mile per hour, simply |
by mechanical action against the atmos- |
phere. 1t is not hereby affirmed that this |
cannot be done, but simply that it has not |
yet been done and nothing in the near |
future promises that it will be DONE
A Mr. Maxim, the inventor of the cele- |
brated machine gun bearing his name, af-
firms that ne has expended S45, 900 in ex-
pcrlments at the end of horizontally fixed |
pole, but, up TO date, it seems that he has
only succeeded in butting and battering
against inertia. The dream OF this gentle
man seems to be that he can succeed in
transporting, in an air ship at high alti-
tude, explosive substances which in time
of war may be unceremoniously dumped |
down on the enemy to such enemy's
great distress and extreme mortif-
cation. In such an exigency, the palaces
of the Gar might be put into such condi-
tion as to necessltate very general and eX-
tensive repairs, and in case of q shower of
nitro-glvcerine, coal mines in the vicinity
would command high premium.
Now, as it is an axiom that force always
follows the lines or path of least resistance,
and as the air becomes lighter as higher
and higher attitudes are approached. it may
not be amiss to observe. that existence in
such snip might be somewhat precarious
ii not exceedingly hazardous, by reason of
sudden and violent contusions of the at
mosphere against it, while a wholesale
demolition was progressing at the base of
the atmospheric column.
Scenes That VIII Not BE Seen.
But so long as Mr.. Maxim restricts his
new method OF warfare to the end of a
scenes that would undoubtedly be CHASTITY
and CORY in the time of glory.
Another genial and exuberant airship in
ventor, named Wells, has fallen victim to
the prevailing epidemic and is lecturing-
in behalf of colossal AERIAL leviathan,
which is TO contain 5000, 900 of cubic feet of
gas. With this structure, he promises,
within the limit of very few days. to
cross the Atlantic and amaze all Europe!
When dwelling on the external and in
ternal mechanical economy of this gigantic
star-grazer, this inventors calculations
would strike the average engineer as being
exceedingly opaque, being about as lucid
as boys first recitation of the multiplica-
ton table. He treads with boots and spurs
on well-known mechanical physics, rakes
well-established principles with an enfilad-
ing fire and goes on with his discourse with
q serenity of soul that the gods might envy.
There are men who learn their lessons
precisely as blind rams gain their knowledge
of a wall-each butts his head against the |
hard and unyielding fact and then only
shifts assent thereto
The recent Pennington contribution to |