New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-10
Mi. MAxIMs FLYING MACHINE AGAIN.
.o,.r DrrAus AND SIGNIFICANT EXPRESSIONS

OF CONFIDENCE IN IT.
few additional facts OF interest IN resalu ~
Hiram s. Maxims flying machine were prouen' ou'
AT the recent meeting Of the British Association LOT
the Advancement Of Science. Although iN'hs
ohroad because he believed himself ill-treated by
.h IYn,ad States Government In connection with
b,. ranad-fre gun patents this gifted inventor is
an American and any glory which may De con-
ferred by his success In aerial Navigation oeione'
to this country.
One of the most remarkable features OF the
trial airship is the lightness OF Its motor Inc en-
zine proper weighs only GA pounds and the Doher
Iconta,nine 20 hounds Of water loo AS the latter
Ap,res also include various appurtenances OF the
boiler and as 1862 horsepower were actuaiy oe
veloped we have only five pounds OF engine anu
boiler to a horsepower Mr. Maxim hiInser De-
Iieves that he can get 500 horsepower out Oh tha
same engine.
In MASKING II NAV be we'll 10 recall that an ordl-
nary locomotive weighs about 100 or $50 pounds FOR
every horsepower 1t develops; marine engines III
h,e steamshps from 200 TO 800; ana even engines
for fast light yachts Of large size. seldom less 'a
100 good draught horse weighs about 10" 10 ='o'
pounds to a horsepower; but Dru III ''e' o-'
20 or Is pounds. Engineering experts nave co'f
,,uted that in order 10 make aerial navigation sue
cess the motive apparatus employed must "eign
less than this. In few exceptional instances si'ai
engines not including the boiler nave peeh put
which reduced the proportion TO between anu 10
utterly without precedent, though PROFESSOR Lang
-, a. .od N have come pretty close to 1t with
ratio Of to g. u.,,,
Over 800 pounds Of steam have been carrier
IN some of the trials. and the inventor say
that ne can run the pressure up from wv
10 800 pounds inside OF minute! Nap"'"a
The fuel used, of which 200 pounds are carried
rn.ra ara also 400 pounds OF water In reserve
framework. aeroplanes. propellers and human
freight bring the total weight up to three ana oile
half or four tons lifting power Oh doou' 10'v
mounds is developed when full speed Is attained
that IT, from thirty-fve to forty miles an noun
About s75 revolutions OF each OF the huge '"o-
h,.aad nropellers a minute has been the maximum
thu. far The aeroplanes. which look ike nat
roof and a pair Of huge horizontal wings out
stretched therefrom have lateral spread Oh "o'e
that 40 feet and aggregate area OF 4'VV squ"'e
feet These parts OF the machine are maze OF 'i''h
and very strong steel tubes and wires, covered on
che under side with balloon cloth. 1t was fouhd
impossible to keep this latter from basg'hs, no
matter how tightly stretched. The upper surface,
therefore was irregular. and AFFORDED much resist
enre TO the air. The inventor has consequently
covered the TOP as we'll as the bottom OF Inc frame
xv,th cloth. and the upper cloth is held down with
,,nes running fore and aft This double-skin aero
,,.,. overcomes a hitherto apparently insuperabe
s,c,cu,,v-the buckrg Of the cloth surface
"a pa Weigh declared that Mr.. Maxim had
.olved three Of the 1--WE chiei propiens ihVoVeo
in aerial navigation. and ne hao commence 'hA'
e.. inventors great ingenuity would enable him to
ao,v. the others. Available reports OF Lord Kay
,s,~h,s remarks do not quote him as specifying
That these two remaining difficulties are. but they
are probably balancing and steering the cratt IN
~. air Ability to lift and propel II has now been
1uiIv demonstrated. Professor Langley. OF wash
iuston Who by the way. took occasion to declare
that he has not yet gotten up any airshp OF his
c-rr EXPRESSED admiration Of Mr. Maxims work,
.rd expressed a belief that the world would see
practical airships in use before the close OF the
century. Lord Kelvin also commended our fellow
countrvman's efforts though he was inclined to
mink that a platform with four vertically work
ing propellers at the corners would afford better
rlan Of operation. Some doubt was expressed by
others whether MI Maxim estimates hishy
enough the skin resistance or friction OF his aero
planes On the whole. though. both inventor ana
Invention were treated in highly encouraging
manner. The leading British experts in mechanical
science were present-men of worldwide reputa'
fions and not given TO liberation OF cranks, es-
peciaily II foreigners. Such recognition OF the
merit Of Mr. Maxim's work Is not without sig
nl6cance.