The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-02

0Ign cxpiOSAveS ana uIOppluE tucle ot .
point twenty or thirty miles distans. then
the bulky aeroplane could be replaced by
large number Of long, narrow blades or
wings, placed one above the other fsuper-
posedl, which would lift much more for
their weight and the power required to
drive them. and would enable the machine
to fly much faster. A machine of this kind
could be controlled as relates to height
above the earth after the manner of COM
mon water torpedo, while its direction
could be controlled with q great decree of
nicely by q magnetic needle operating
upon automatic steering geart constructed
in such manner that it could be instantly
set to steer automatically to any desired
point of the compass, and to let go its
bomb and to fall itself with the remainder
of Its naptha after the screw had rnade
predetermined number of turns.
Experiments in any field of research are
always extremely expensive. even if all
the data are at hand. How much more ex-
pensive must they be when conducted on
large scale in q field where all the data
have to be obtained by long and laborious
experiments, in which a great manv ma
chimes and expensive apparatus have to be
invented and constructed simply to obtain
the necessary data! Such experiments are
too expensive to be conducted for any con-
siderable time by private individuals. The
French experiments were conducted by
-
eminent; they extended over period of
fifteen years, and have all been conducted
for the purpose of rendering the balloon
manageable. At the date the experiments
were commenced no motor had ever been
made which was powerful enough in pro-
portion to its weight to raise itself in the
air. These experiments have cost some
millions of francs, and as far as actual re-
suits are concerned they have placed the
French far ahead of all other nations in
this field OF science. and have probably
brought the balloon to about as high de-
gree of perfection as 1t will ever
reach.f If we in England wish to excel
the French in aerial navigation, think
We should turn our attention 70 the
aeroplane, which alone is capable of being
driven through the air at speed which
makes it independent of the wind, and
which if driven at such a speed will lift
and carry q load quite equal to that of the
so-called ''dirigeaDle" balloon. Complete
success may be long and expensive task.
and all the points necessary to success
may not be the work of any one man, but
l do believe that staff of engineers and
scientists could be found among the
Anglo-Saxon race. without going outside
of England, who. if provided with UNI
limited means, could produce machine
that would actually tiy without gas bag,
and in much less time than it took the
''dirigeabIe" balloon, and thus render it
quite as unsafe to attempt the invasion of
England through the air as it now is by
water.
Two eminent engineers are now expert
menting in France with view OF navi-
eating the air with machines heavier
than the air dying machines(. The in
genious scientist, engineer and electrician,
NJ. Trouve, has already made small fly
ing model, somewhat in the shape of a
bird, which has actually flown a short dis
lance, the motive power being produced
from gas explosions taking place inside
of ftattened volute springs such as are
used in steam gauges. The well-known
and energetic NJ. Alder is experimenting
on true aeroplane driven by q steam en-
CINE. He is said to have spent over Co.,
600 francs, but has only met with partial
success, on account of the great weight of
his motor. The German army is expert
menting with 'dirigeable" balloons, and I
have been informed by Russian officer
that the car has spent over / zoo, OOO. 600
roubles out of his private purse on the
aeroplane system; but it is asserted that
his motors never weigh less than 200
pounds to the horse power; consequently
actual flight is impossible.
When the question is solved, as it is sure
to be in the immediate future, the whole
system of modern warfare will be changed.
able to protect themselves, much less the
country they belong to, from attack, AMI
nations will not be so ready to 60 TO war
when each is armed in such manner as to
make it quite as dangerous and Disagree
able to the rulers themselves as TO the
common soldier. If warlike continental
nation should be the first to achieve COM
plete success it would probably make its
power felt and rearrange things to suit its
own ideas; but when all the great nations
find out how to fly successfully thea there
will be no more war between them, and
the great ornaments which have existed
so long will. happily. become thing of
the past. A congress of nations will be-
come a sine qua non, and let us hope that
We, the Anglo-Saxons, on account of our
immense numbers, our vast possessions,
and our enormous wealth, will be permit
ted to occupy front seat.
HIRAM 8. MAXIM.
An automatic steering gear controlled by
the action of a magnetic needle has already
been invented for steering ships, aud is quito
practicable.
1t is true that higher speed might be
looked for with the more powerful motor which
Is now attainable.