The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-26
"A SUMNER in THE CLOUDS.

is furnished by the trail rope, when drass
lightly along the ground AFTER Inc Dal-
loon, and which enables the san TO play
the usual part of such contri4ances IN We
hicies where friction exists, OF, IN olner
WORDS. the trail rope enables the balloon
with the wind behind ii, 10 traVei III an
angie 10 the direction OF the wind.
II Mt spencer has actually succeeded
in making directible balloon that Is ca
liable OF being propelled against the wind
ne has accomplished as wonderful an
achievement rs that OF DR.. *. l. JAM
JewsRy of Charkoy, Russia, who has also
proved that IL Is possible to make ma :
chine that can ascent TO any nelGht anu
that can be directed IN It's course LEG
limitations of Dr. Danile wsky inVentloh'
however. as well as of Mr. Spencers, Is
thai The airship is largely dependent upon
The elements Either can direct ms ma
chine in calm weather. but neither "oaid
attempt TO sail against an extremely
strong wind.
Count Zeppelin, however, insists that he
has succeeded in making machine OYER
which the elements can nave little, II any
perocptible influence The colnt, VINO Is
German nobleman OF means, has ALREADY
formed his company, enough foreign capt.
talsts being satisfied that he mas solNeu
the secret Of air fight TO contribute over
S200 600 to aid him in the carrying OUT
of his venture
Like all successful modern inventors.
the count has not attempted to nhd d
substitute for the gas-inilated bag but ho
has spent years OF study and experiment
in his 5ndeavCr to MAKE sucn bas di-
rlgible and to give 1t propulsion against
the wind. Now he claims that he has sue
ceeded and he promises to steer his Ve-
hicle of the clouds from Europe across the
Atlantic before next summer.
-Four days is the time scheduled for the
trip across the ocean, and as the scientists
who have examined and tested his apra-
r6tus have pronounced it perfect it IS pos
sible THAI the count may not have over
estimated the value OF lis invention.
Whatever the result may be, however.
there is no doubt that the problem OF
aerial navigation is rapidly approaching
solution SO confident are the French SCI
cntists that such an invention is a pos
sibility that the government has already
spent nearly 100000 IN the encourage
nent OF the Investigators, believing that
the value of such a contrivance In time
Of war would be invaluable to the nation
possessing the secret,
Other countries Rave made similar con-
tributions and recently the United States
stepped to the front and maie an appro-
priation of $4,000 to enable Prof. Langley
Of tho Smithsonian institute to pursue his
investigations along these lines.
The Schehelin machine of Germany
really hies, 1t has wings and a windmill
attachment which keeps it in the air.
Prof Langley is confident that the time
for the appearance of the successful air.
ship Is near at hand. and as his opinions
are based upon long investigation of this
subject, none but the most hardened pes
simist would dare TO contradict him.
The subject, however, is such a stu
pondous one. with its revolution in trans
nortation that would render railroads end
steamboats, obsolete, overthrow the mill
tary and naval systems of the world, and
solve all the mysteries Of the uneXplored
parts Of the earth that those who persist
in remaining in the ranks of the doubling
Thomases may be pardoned for their lack
of faith, John Maeder.