Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1901-07-26
MASTERY OF THE AIR.
AIR-NAviGATION SAID TO HAVE
BEEN ATTAINED.

0E6N n AIMED.
N. Santos. Dumonts Device Said to Meet All
Requirements Of Aerial Navigation The
Power Which propels is Self Generated
Dumont's Airship Met the Conditions fol
the $4,000 Prize by CircIins Arount
Eiffel Tower Three Times and Returning to
its Starting Place at St. CIoud-ne HAD
Some Trouble in Landing. However, ano
the Award is Suspended for Another Trial.
The Chicago American's Paris dis
patch of July 18th, has this to say oI
the encouraging progress made in
aerial navigation by our volatile
neighbors across the sea:
1t is unquestiOnable epoch-making
news that was cabled yesterday in a
dispatch describing M. Santos-Du-
monts aerial voyage around the EifIel
tower and over the suburbs of Paris.
Mans triumph over the paths of the
air has come at last, and it is son OF
the new world which has won the
first victory. The gifted Braziian's
performances yesterday and to-day
were as much in advance of Count
Zeppelin's and other previous ac-
complishments as the latter surpassed
ordinary ballooning.
NJ. Santos-Dumont mounted, alight.
ed and re-ascended, time after time,
without accessories, and as easily and
gracefully as great bird would take
wing and come to the earth. He flew
high and low, in straight lines and in
curves, with the wind against him,
precisely as he willed. He was master
OF the air as truly as navigator of u
steamship is master OF the waves.
True, his craft was by no means pei
fected, any more than the ordinary
steamboat compares with the modern
liner. The problem Of aerial naviga-
ton, however, is solved. OF that no
possible doubt remains in the minds
of those who were awakened at early
dawn by strange sounds in the heavens
and who saw the wonderful evolu,ions
OF the strange thing which scared
above the roofs.
One or two minor defects, which
were easily remedied in few hours.
prevented the complete carrying out
OF the tests yesterday and to-day, but
it is safe to prophesy that within a
month M. Satos-Dumont's invention
will hold as complete dominion over
the air, except during storms, as ship
does over the sea.
Experts who watched the great
aeronaut hold the opinion that the
ultimate development OF aerial naviga-
ton will be by airships which fly by
self-generated power, without the aid
of gas balloon. Be this as it may,
for the present there is no doubt that
flying machines will include balloon
of sufficient buoyancy to practically
balance the wright of the apparatus
and passengers.
Such is the case with NJ. Satos- -Du.
mont's airship. His immediate OBJ
ject has been to win the $4,000 prize
offered a year ago by M. Deutsch, the
Rouen petroleum refiner. The con-
ditions required that start be made
in the neighborhood of st. Cloud,
that the Eiffel tower be circled three
times and that the airship then return
to its starting place at an average
speed of not less than thirteen miles
an hour.
More than one inve ntor has been
struggling under this incentive, hence
NJ. Santos-Dumont has been working
at the greatest speed lest he forestalled.
He undertook the test at the earliest
possible moment. He already has
discovered several possible improve.
ments which will increase the mobility
and safety of his airship.
nj. Santos Dumont, with his new
air-ship, the Santos-Dumont No. s.,
covered the stipulated course from
Park Mendon around the Eiffel tower
and back in thirty-five minutes-five
minutes over the time allowed by the
club for the distance.
The Ero Climb, nevertheless, will
award him the prize OF 10000 francs,
as he has proved the value of his in
vention and has solved the problem Of
aerial navigation.
A committee of the Ero Club wit
messed to-day's trial.
NJ. Santos-Dumont reached the
Eiffel tower at Z o'clock. His balloon
was being propelled through the at.
mosphere apparently with ease, and
as gracefully as steam yacht plows
the sea.
The correspondent witnessed the
test from the tower. He saw the
cigsr-shaped balloon come into view
through the distant trees. The wind
was blowing from the north, and
abeam of the balloon, as the latter's
course was from east to west.
The balloon is constructed OF some
light.colored material and is apparent
ly $50 feet long and 40 feet wide at its
greatest width. Below it hangs a
kind of open work platform, contain
ing a small petroleum motor. Be-
hind this and about midway between
the platform and the balloon proper
is two-Aanged screw. with a small
sail to serve as rudder.