Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-18

city of the unsalted seas" and the windy
metropolis on Lake Michigan.
Hemispherical excursions were to be IN
dulged in on fair afternoons, and flag sta
tlons were to be recognized at such points
as Toronto, Tacoma, New York, Valparaiso
and other places on the hemisphere.
A Ship That Was a Failure.
The ship was being constructed within an
enclosure under great secresy, and after
months of travail, the immense mountain
brought forth sickly and most diminutive
| mouse Here it may be remarked that
when the mind leaves the trodden regions
of the known, to cipher the realms OF the
| unknown, the act is not one to be pro-
claimed with the blast of trumpets. The
period of incubation is generally period
OF quiescenee, and the hour Of parturition
calls for neither clamor nor premature
proclamation. Many a brain has given
forth that which, in brief period succeeding
birth, hasfilled the fond parent with high
hopes and an exalted mental condition, but
which little later and calmer scrutiny dis
closed as not worth the cost of faccouchement.
Minds eminent in astronomy, in mechanics,
in the electrical field, in chemistry, in
religion and politics, have caught the craze
and have helped to fan the as yet illogical
flame by declaring their conviction that a
flying machine may be produced that Will
be practical, but not one of them has lndi-
Gated on what lines the problem may De
solved
One inventor speaks of a large silken
sheet of perhaps 5000 square feet of sur
face, from the under side of which his ship
shall be suspended. But it is fyingin the
face of the simple commonsense of the case
to talk of suspending anything from such
sheet
1t has no buoyant properties whatever,
and instead of aiding the ship has itself to
be supported by it. Unless held up with
stiff braces it would settle limp and close on
the vessel, and in case of sudden descent,
should the movement be beyond control.
would not even be of anv avail as para
chute.
There will never be much trouble in max
ing descent, as the law of gravitation will
be found to be eternally vigilant, and only
too ready to extend assistance.
A Sheet Would Not Stand the Strain.
If the machine has the power of lifting
itself with any practicable degree of speed
on gradually rising plane, it will follow
that given motion will hold it in statu quo
and a lesser motion will allow it gradually
to descend. Anything in the nature of a
sheet would cut a sorry figure
III gaze, Will ln6 up anu
down lurching of the ship, should it present
its surface to the teeth of the wind at an
angle of so degrees Let the competent en-
gineer compute the additional demand on
power to overcome the resistance caused by
such contrivance when "bellying" against
the wind or even if sailing at so miles an
hour through calm.
Conceive of flock of geese carrying UNI
brellas to give them buoyancy! But these
men talk of reaching velocities of from 200
to ACC miles per hou=. The effect would be
the same as if the ship were stationary and
a cyclone struck it moving at that rate.
There is not an artificial structure in the
United States that could resist this pressure,
and the ship that is to meet this require
ment will involve heavy sheet of solid
steel.
The plain, unveneered fact is that there is
as vet no known combination. of principles
from whose mechanical application can be
drawn a solution to the problem of aerial
navigation