The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-06-25
WENT UP ON A KITE.
NEW MODE or AERIAL NAVIGATION
EXPECTED TO eE A SUCCESS.

The New vessel IL REMARKABLY steady In
Nidair and PhenomsnaI Results Are Ez-
psotsd From It-Patterns Of tf,s Kite
Ordered For m Observatory.
About Q year ago Charles II. Lamson's
experiments with his mammoth airsnip
ut Rigby park, Portland, Me-, attracted
general attention. This exploit was re-
garded then by Professor Eddy and other
experts ~ the most advanced scientific
airship experiment attained up to that
time. The experiments then made were
with dummy. Since that time Mr..
Lamson has been working steadily and
recently, by personal ascension on his
airship. demonstrated that he has every
reason to hope that before long he will
attain with his invention phenomenal
results In aerial navigation.
On the occasion mentioned the most
wonderful part Of bis experiments was
tho steadiness Of the ship while In mid
air, and this great feature Of the Lam
son ship was again made evident by the
recent trials LAmson asserted year
ago that he would ono day demonstrate
the feasibility Of his plan Of aerial nav
igation, and when the latest trials were
over tho critics who watched them
agreed that hs had gone long way To-
ward making biz claim good.
At tho last attempts which were
made at Falmouth Foreside Lamson A.
cended to height Of nearly 100 feet on
one Of his airshipa He went up easily
and came down all right after spending
time enough up aloft to look about him
and feel the novel sensation of kiting
through tho air. Mr.. A. Lawrence
Rotch, founder and director Of the Blue
Hill Meteorological observatory, near
Boston, went to Portland, accompanied
by his two assistants, II. H. Clayton
and 8. p. Furguson, to spend the day
with Lamson and test some Of his newly
constructed kites. The steamer was tax
en- for Waite's Landing. where Gen.
eral ]. M. Brown had given the use Of
his big hayfelds and barns near the
shore. The day and wind were favorable,
and many tests were made Of the lifting
capacity Of the various forms Of kites to
find those having the greatest efficiency
for carrying the weight Of self register
ing instruments into the upper etmos-
phere. The visitors were pleased with
the performance Of two patterns and
have ordered them for the use Of the OBJ
servatory. Through Professor Langley,
who is greatly Interested in this work.
the observatory has received an appro-
priation from the Smithsonian institu-
ton at Washington. They have now
several miles of steel piano wire and an
engine or steam winch for winding it
in, and they hope to send up their in
struments to the unprecedented height
!, OF Eve miles, using one Of Mr.. LAM
sons kites as leader.
Later the same day the mammoth
ship was brought out and very success
fully launched. It was allowed to re-
main up several hours. 1t was on this
kite that Mr.. Lamson made the ascent.
He was delighted with the novel expe-
rience and the easy motion Of the kite,
and while it was deemed advisable not
to go higher Mr.. Lamson would have
enjoyed trip still nearer the clouds.
Only three or four other men have gone
up with kites, and some Of them have
been raised from the ground by tackle
after the kite was sent up. In this case
the rider started from terra frma with
the kite itself, running along the ground
as the kite was drawn forward to give
it the initial force. This kite may be
taken as fair illustration Of what the
experts who saw the trial declared will
be the coming airship. New York Sun.