Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-04
NEW FLYING MACHINE.
Military Officers Intimate That 1t is
Wonder.

Correspondence of the Dispatch)
| PARIS, May 23-Shrouded by an almost
| impenetrabie veil Of secrecy, there has
been in progress at Satony a series of
experiments with a new flying machine
that has so impressed French military Of
| flcers as to make them DESTROYS of put
ting it to the most complete test. This
flying machine, which is called the "Avi-
on" was invented by a Mons. Alder.
Those who have seen the new hyingma-
chine in action, and who have been in
duced 10 talk about 1t, describe the ma
chine as of an aeroplane nature. consist
ling Of an enormous pair of wings, mea-
! surfing so feet from tip TO tip, resembling
! in appearance those of soaring bird,
but rigidly fixed, and unable to flap up
| and down. Two four-bladed screw pro-
| pellers, rotating in opposite directions.
| are mounted In front of the body. The
motive power for these screw propellers
| consists of two powerful steam engines
| of 20-horse power each, which are so
carefully designed and made as only 10
weigh 6 IL pounds per nominal horse
! power 1t is intimated, with many mys-
! FERROUS gestures from the French officers
who have been present at the trials OF
perience sensation when the result OF
I the experiments is made known. 1t Is
ardently hoped here that the trials will
prove that the problem Of successfully
navigating the upper regions has been
, solved at last, for so much has been said
about the new fying-machine that the
air seems to be heavy with aerial-naviga-
tion talk, and 1t Is felt that some definite
news of the trials at Satony is needed to
clear the atmosphere OF the everlasting
subject.
One interesting feature OF the flying
machine craze has been the compilation
by the French authorities of history Of
the progress made during the past year
or two From this it would appear that
an important step taken during the last
two years in England Is the establish
ment, under the auspices OF the Aero
nautical Society, OF a regular, quarterly
journal, to give all recent information. IL
is somewhat remarkable that in France
there are, and have been for some years.
no less than three periodicals In this line,
La France Aerienne. which is published
fortnightly; L'Aeronaute, now In its thir-
tieth year of existence, and LAerophile.
which appears monthly. In Germany
there are two periodicals-The Zettsch-
rift Fur Luftschinahrt. published In Ber-
lin. and the Ilustrirte Aeronautische
Mitthelungen, in Strasburg. Italy has
its LAeronauta. and. while other coun-
tries have Off and on issued such publ
cations, the Aerinautical Journal Is the
sole periodical I'm the English language
devoted to aeronautics, notwithstanding
the great and increasing interest taken IN
the subject not only In Great Britain,
bur in America and Australia.
II is pointed out by the compiler or the
history of progress in the building OF air
shIps that there have been several ex-
perIments with balloons that show these
NAV be improved. and made 20 navigate
the air with engines applied to propeilers.
| The buoyant vessel may be spherical
balloon. or an elongated cylinder OF gas.
Flying-machines proper-that is, appara-
tus heavier than the air-may be con-
structed either in the form Of wings or
planes OF small size for attachment TO the
human body, or they may take the form
of huge flying vessels. They may DC
made TO act on the principle Of bird,s
wing beating up and down, or, with
screw propellers. TO lift direct. similar 70
the welI-known flying toys. or they may
consist Of fixed aeroplanes. to be propeii'