Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1896-05-01
Shall We Fly
SOME THOUGHTS IN A NEW HELD OF
DISCOVERY.

discovery and invention, it must lie
confessed that there is remarkable
degree of inertia in other fields that
have afforded abundant cause for hope.
Chief OF these is the utter failure of
any practical means for realization OF
that greatest desideratum OF the age,
the safe navigation OF the air.
The first Undergraduates balloons
were sent up into the air from Paris,
about hundred years ago. This was,
indeed, forward step in the solution
OF the problem OF traversing the aerial
regions, but since that time little or
no progress has been made, either
practically or theoretically. Indeed,
it is mooted question to-day as to
whether the ultimate and successful
solution of the problem depends upon
purely mechanical means or some, as
yet, occult principle, involving the
action OF the so-called imponderable
agents.
The recent achievements in the
fields OF electrical, optical and chemi-
cal science are passing strange, while
the various up to-date contrivances
for air-traveling amount to very little
less than mockery as compared with
the delicate adjustment and balancing
OF all eagles wings. 1t is, We assume,
not matter of propulsion or guidance
that is SO seriously wanted, but a re-
liable sustaining force. Once we are
able to suspend ourselves in the air,
the means for moving in any direc-
ton, horizontal or vertical, will
amount to little more than an adapta-
ton of existing devices, and will cut
but a small figure in the aerial travel
ing problem.
A late move in the right direction
is a scientific examination of the
wings of the larger birds OF long
flight, for the discovery, if possible, of
some initial unit OF sustaining power
propo 'tional to the surface of impact
and the weight of the bird, together
with the motive power expended per
second.
The results of these experiments so
far obtained 90 to show conclusively
that the strongest man would utterly
fail to sustain himself for an instant
by any device analogous to wings, op.
Grated by his muscular power alone.
1t is a we'll known fact that certain
birds, as the eagle and albatross, have
the power Of supporting themselves at
high elevations for long time, with
out any visible motion OF their out
stretched wings. This curious phe-
nomenon was once supposed to be ex-
planned on the principle OF the resolu-
ton of several forces as illustrated in
the posing OF common kite when
acted upon by the force OF gravity, the
wind and the string. But it seems
that in the case OF the bird, its muscu-
lar impelling force, the force of grav-
ity and the force OF the wind are,
taken together, quite insufficient to
explain all the phenomena exhibited
by its majestic movements at high
elevations.
In view of those facts, inquiries like
these have been suggested: Is the
atmosphere at different elevations per-
vaded by something analogous to cleo.
trical strata where kind OF negative
gravity asserts itself, and upon enter
ing one of these strata is not the bird
for the time being, actually balanced in
mid-heaven without any muscular ex-
ertion, or even will-power OF its own :?
Does the Insulating effects of its feath-
cry envelop become an important fac
tor in bringing about these results :?
Be this a. it may, why is it that birds
are uever seen to resort TO this motion.
less balancing OF their wings except
when they have attained great heights
above the surface of sea or land?
1t is known that on any cloudy days
there are thousands of tons OF water
suspended over our heads, aud to all
appearances, without any visible
means of support. 1t is a common
thing to see in the summer months
enormous masses of cumuli, piled like
mountains upon each other, with their
horizontal and vertical outlines as
sharply defined against the clear blue
of heaven as if they were so many
solid cliffs of granite or limestone. 1t
is only after drenching down.pour
of rain that we are apt to form an ade-
quate idea as the number of tons OF
solid matter held in suspension at all
times and at various heights above the
earth upon which We tread. Now it
is true that Hutton's celebrated rain
theory explains, satisfactorily enough
perhaps, the mere formation OF rain.
drops, snow-hakes, hail, ETC., but it
fails signally to explain, with what we
know OF the constancy OF gravity, how
all those millions of tons Of aqueous
vapor, pure water indeed, are so act
ually and physically supported in the
viewless expanse of the armament.
Again, we know that the dust par
ticles that arise in clouds after the
passage OF a carriage over any road.
way, in dry weather, are made up OF
cold matter, consisting largely OF
sand or microscopic pebbles. Now
these particles will rise in q sultry
dav hundreds of feet into the air