New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-12
LIVE SCIENTIFIC QUESTIONS.

II Is a rather humiliating fact that brilliant
scientific achievements are not always the re-
suit OF patient research, but sometimes have
an accidental origin. The discovery Of tho X
ray and of n cheap way 70 make calcium car
bide. for instance matters OF chance !;
while the hunt for the North Pole, that has
gone on for generations Is yet unrewarded. It
is unsafe, therefore. to predict what the coming
year has in store for the scientific world There
can be no improperly. however in indicating
some OF the problems that demand and are re-
ceiving attention from experts
Langley and Maxim have shown that a flying
machine which relies upon aeroplnnes alone FOR
support can be made 70 lift itself from the
earth and can be propelled In horizontal d.
rection by its own steam engine and screw But
the most successful device OF this type has been
kept aloft only two or three minutes. ard It car
ried no passengers. 1t remains TO be
demonstrated that such airship maintain
It's equilibrium In a gusty wind instead Of over
turning, as did poor Lilienthals pair OF wings.
1t is not enough to get an airship up. 1t must
stay up and must be managed, to be good fo-
anything. The art OF landing safely and con-
venienty at a given point must also be learned.
Great confidence in the successful issue OF the
tests about to be made by Professor Langley
unreasonable to hope that distinct Roadway In
the science OF aerial navigation will be effected
this year. Much Of the military and peaceful
work that will be done In the future with the
flying machine can be performed at compare
lively low levels. But the conquest OF the
HImalayas and OF other peaks that are now In
accessible depends largely upon the feasibility
Of aerial navigation at an elevation OF five or
six miles.
A process Of color photography that shall
give accurate reproductions and shall be sus-
ceptible OF rapid and faithful multiplication OF
copies is yet TO be found. 1t would be OF i'm
mense value TO art. science and industry. Lipp-
mans system, which was improved by the
Lumiere brothers. 10 perfect in some respects
but It does admit of duplication. And the
innumerable variations OF tho three
method are disappointing in fidelity OF tint.
Compressed air. still in a gaseous form, is
likely to have a better trial an agent for
moving streetcars this year than ever before.
Instructive results may be anticipated. But the
possibilities OF liquid air. for the production OF
which Tripler has found an inexpensive process,
need to be developed. VIII Its field OF useful
ness be a limited one or will It come into ex-
tensive service?
A good deal remains to be learned to the
capabilities OF wireless telegraphy. Systematic
work over distances OF twenty miles and occa-
sional messages between slightly more distant
points define the present usefulness OF the Mar
conf apparatus. VIII there be any substantial
gain in this respect in coming years? More
over II has not been determined whether or not
the new mode Of communication possesses the
advantages OF secrecy that were once i'm
puted to It. Some time ago 1t was alleged that
the receiver must be carefully tuned so as to
respond 10 n particular wave frequency. But
Pupin and other physicists have suspected that
the range Of vibrations which are available for
this system is so circumscribed that II Will
prove an easy matter to steal messages. The
truth OF this matter has not been fully ascer-
tanned. However there are other plans for
telegraphing without wires, and II Mr. Tesla
would only show the world the practical work
,ngs OF his scheme for sending messages through
the earth a era In telegraphy might be
ushered In.
Borchgrevink's expedition to the Antarctic
continent. which should effect landing at Cape