The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-05
MR.. MAXIM'S MIRACLE.
HE SOLVES THE GREAT PROBLEM
or AIR IA VIGATION.
Shin 10 Sail the skies-It IL Called an Aero
plane by tho nventor-wili Piovs
Terrible In War.

= tested by the scientific faction OF III
English nation In the operations trans
, piring at Baldwyns PARK, / called ye;
terday upon Mr. Hiram s. Maxlm-know
to the world as the inventor OF IN
Maxim gun-and asked for an interview
upon the subject OF aerial navigatio
generally. ana his new flying ship !
There are two factions of engineer
interested in the possibilities of aeria
navigation said Mr.. Maxim, when Tn
subject was preached TO him. THE!
are the men who seek to solve the prob
lem with apparatuses lighter than TN
air, and whose researches are necessar
lily limited because such construction
are at the complete mercy OF the wind
/ and then there are men who believe tina
aerial navigation may be accomplished
| by means OF apparatuses heavier thar
the air: In the field of the, former worF
the French are undoubtedly ahead IL
their scientific researches. and have
l am convinced, brought the balloon e
as high degree OF perfection as 1t Is
capable of attaining. The latter class
selves in the possibilities of the aero
| plane, which can be driven through the
air at a speed which makes it indepen-
cent OF the wind, and being driven at
| equal or I'm excess of that carried by the
Dirlgeable balloon. and without the aid
OF any gas bag whatsoever.
| "A Frenchman has already invented
1 -
| something In the shape of a bird the
| motive power Of which is produced by
| gas explosions taking place inside OF the
Hatlened Voiute springs-such as are
use1 III steam gauges. This has actually
HoWh "a snort distance. Other men who
are investigating with the aeroplane
are hampered by the weight of their
motors, so they have met with only a
partial success. The engineers OF the
German army are also expirmenting
win the aeroplane, as well as with the
DaHooh, ana the car Of Russia has spent
many thousands of roubles on the true
aeropane system. Leading scientists all
admit that the navigation of the air
snail become possible whenever a motor
,suinclenuy powerful in proportion to
It's weight shall be invented Birds and
other winged things sustain themselves
IN air by muscular effort and are cana
Die or developing an enormous power I'm
proportion TO their weight. Heavy birds
as the goose, with relatively small wings
carry what is equivalent to 80 pounds
TO the horse power while the vulture
ana the albatross, I'm which the wing
surface IS larger, carry what is equiva-
lent 10 go pounds 70 the horse power.
My experiments have been with the
steam engine--that being the one with
which ! am best acquainted. but I will
NOT say mat ! have reached fnalty in
producing sufficiently light and power
ful motor, though the one | have been
EXPERIMENTING with has been very salts
factory. The machine. which YOU will
otc oliOi tly, mas spread OF over 100 feet.
ana IS supplied with suitable DYNAMO
meters and measuring machines, so that
! can correctly ascertain the lift of the
planes experimental with, together with
the pushing power of the screws The
very large aeroplane is to prevent n too
rapid descent In case of a stoppage OF
the machinery. The two light screws
are the only pTopelling power-each is
II feet - inches in diameter, and they |
develop a push OF 900 pounds on the |
machine, with a steam pressure of 800 |
pounds to the square inch. The super |
structure OF the machine and the frame |
of the aerOplane are Of strong steel tub |
ing. stayed with piano wire, and the |
wheels on which the machine is placed |
are OF very light steel. The workshop is
so constructed that the doors, which |
shop, can be rolled back, so that the ma
chine can be rolled out, and after it's
trial on the track, which stretches across
lhe PARK about quarter Of mile. But
come and see the machine for yourself
The flying machine, with its huge kite.
is a queer-looking craft, and so perfect |
are the workings Of this wonderful piece
OF mechanism that a slight fitting of the
ing place, and heavy planks have had to
be placed along the experimental track |
at the requisite height above the wheels
so that the machine cannot derail itself |
When the machine is completed IL will |
nave ten wings altogether. There Is a
small aeroplaHe stretched across the very
op larger one, fifty feet square, be-
leath this; a small one at the front. and |
/ platform on wheels form the base. The |
whole Is held together, as Mr. Maxim
aid. with framework Of hollow steel
ubng and a network of strongest piano
wire, that seems to encompass the en-
IT." machine. The platform Is provided
With small engine house within which
little blazes of petroleum heat
ne steam boiler; and without this small |
ngine house-Which is about the size
( an ordinary dog kennel-are numerous
auges, multitude of fixtures that only
lr. Maxim understands. and a brake.
he remaining wings will be added for |
lght. 1t Is at the gauges that the great |
ngineer always stands when the great |
lachlne is In motion, for as yet he has
'usted his precious invention to no one |
sc. On the platform back of him are
he two tanks for water and petroleum,
he former placed lengthwise and the
tier Crosswise Of the machine, and the
aCcSSary machinery for the two wooden |
ovement of the whole. Scrambing over
e side rails. and climbing onto the ma ,
line beside. Mr.. Maxim, several of us q
OK the first trip, which. owing to our
ided weight, made the machine rest
,avier than usual upon the wheels. At
signal the left screw propeller was al
wed TO turn slowly, when the right one | .
as started, increasing I'm speed until y
ey formed two gigantic discs that
1irled with the velocity of a paper
nd-mll in a good breeze; a second O.
started off at a breakneck pace.
l"re was little sound compared with
r proximity to the engine, but the keen
r mat sweeps over the wide open space
Baldwyn's Park seemed to cut our
rs as we cut through il at the rate a
its own speed. AS we neared the end
the track the brake was applied the
)es stretched across to break the speed
s ceased Il turn. and we were at
Indstill. 1t was won1erful-we caught .
our lost respirations and breathed once
he second trip which l took when
ire were fewer people on board was
Il better than the first. There was
course. less weight over, the wheels
with the huge aeroplane slightly
ed the great body of the machine
med Swimming through the air. there IN
s no sensation of wheels or shaking
the interchangeable weight indeed.
s lifted off the wheels, the pressure
the atmosphere underneath the large
oplane completely raised the craft -
! had 1t not been for the OBTAINING | ot
nks at the side OF the track. we
,uld, in all probability, have fioated
flying; and from the correspondence
ught 10 a stop as before and was :
hed back 10 its starting point by the OF
rkmen. s.
mere are wing frames at either side an
the machine, for, as | said, when IL
these will be ten in number:
owing TO the great lift that is al I
dy given by the large aeroplane, the
ering of the minor wings is not used \
the experiments. The weight of the \
chine, by means of gauges, has been :
de TO perfectly balance at all points
that there viii be no danger Of its
NJ unbalanced when once ahoat The no,
sent outlook Is that we of the present
GRAFTON shall have solved the mystery :
lal torpedo that shall travel through \
. Maxim receives from Germany :
nee and the United States IL seems {
I the whole scientific world are inter-
ii in his invention; that he IS looked $