The times., 1898-07-03

Her plan contemplates the use Of pecul-
iarly-cOnstructed kites, which shall car
~. among other things, a telegraph line
and a series of signals.
An Illinois inventor assures the Gov
ernment that he has solved the secret
of the air" and can fly anywhere. He
SAYS he has made number of successful
ascents. and sends a photo of cigar
shaped balloon beneath which ne appears
suspended with long, wing-like attach
ments. CuriousIy enough, big para
chute is part of the apparatus, showing
that he has some doubt on the subject
Another Western genius sends an ac-
count of balloon made out Of alumni
mum. He says his airship has an "alumi-
mum silk-lined gas reservoir, and sub
mits q beautiful draft of it. He claims
that the balloon will really do every
thing claimed for it.
A number of balloons are offered that
are intended TO lift high explosives, and
drop them on the enemy at the right
time.
One young woman has an airship oper-
ated by fan-shaped paddles. connected
with wheels which she says has solved
the problem of aerial navigation.
A Western company sends the Govern
ment a description of an elliptical-shaped
balloon. with the car carrying sails like
marks of practicability. but the Gov
ernment is not disposed 10 consider il
just now.
A war balloon is offered by a New
York man, which consists OF three cigar
shaped balloons fastened together in tan
dem fashion. There are 1i-foot oar-at-
tachments on the car, and cranks to work
big fans.
one "air propeller is constructed on a
h.
will carry many quarts of nitro-glyc-
crime"
one has only TO run his eyes over the
hundreds of letters received by the Gov
ernment in order to see that there are
very many people in this broad land who
are hard at work trying 10 solve the
problem of aerial navigation. Some OF
them. judging from the designs and lith-
ograph drawings. spend considerable
money in endeavoring TO elaborate their
schemes. Not only are men at work,
but also a number of women. Indeed,
the female portion of the globe seems
more anxious TO fly than the male fra
ternity. If one takes into consideration
the communications on the subject Per-
haps this is due to the desire of the sex
to flee from household cares, become an
gels or take an outing in the upper air.
Whatever may be the cause, women GER
aerial navigation. Yet this truth must
he told: Thus far the Government has
not been carried away by any inventions
from them that on their face have the
yerisimilitude of good flying machines
There is still another side to this sto-
~. The advices received by the Govern
ment from various parts of the country
show that the business or profession o.
aeronauts has declined. The old class OF
balloon men like Donaldson, Wise, Allen.
and King have died out. and few, If any,
have come forward to take their places.
The up in a Balloon" fellows of the
present day are pretty much all para
chute jumpers and hot-air men. In
deed. there are plenty of the latter class,
Judging from the many offers for enlist
ment In the service received by the Gov
ernment And the same is true of in
yentors The flight of a bird, like the
light of the FREELY. seems a simple
thing, and yet flying machines that will
fly still remain to be invented, just as
light without heat remains to be manu-
factured.
FRANCIS LEON CHRISMAN.