The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1903-07-02

through the air with safety and speed,
but both working along different lines.
One of these schools, represented by
such aeronauts as Santos-Dumont, the
Lebaudy brothers and Professor Carl
Myers, conducts it's experiments upon
the theory that the dirigible balloon
will solve the problem Of aerial naviga-
ton. The measure Of success attending
these experiments, which have beeI
rather more spectacular than scientific,
are pretty we'll known to the readers
Of the newspapers who are interested
in the subject.
That the balloon air ship will work
under certain atmospheric conditions
has been amply proved by Santos-Du-
mont and the Lebaudy brothers, but
whether 1t can be made to work in all
conditions of wind and weather is a
matter of doubt.
The other school of aerial navigators,
to which belong such scientists as Pro
fessor S. p. Langley, DR.. Alexander
Graham Bell and John P. Holland,
contends that the theory of the dirigi-
BILE balloon is unscientifc and impracti-
cable and that experimenting with it is
a waste of time. The theory Is that the
successful and practical air ship must
simulate the motion of the wings Of a
bird in flying, and the experimenters
are devoting all their mental energies
to the development of the flying ma
chine as against the floating device.
Among the most interesting and ap-
parently most successful experiments
with flying machines are those lately
made by DR.. Bell, the inventor of the
telephone. If all accounts are true he
has a flying machine that will fly. It
is an ingenious structure. composed OF
what might be termed a multiplicity
of silken wings upholding a sort Of
boat which is of such remarkable
buoyancy that it will fly or float by It.
self when the supporting part of the
apparatus has been taken away. The
machine is in effect an artificial bird
constructed on the kite principle, but
in accordance with entirely new ideas.
1t is, in fact, a multiple kite composed
of a great number Of triangular boxes
of silk held in shape by sticks. One
side of each box is open to the air. the
other sides being covered with silk and
in shape and position suggesting the
wings of bird in the act of flying.
Thus the whole apparatus, being made
up OF such boxes is like a bird, or,
,hoI 1G $uIn
whose flight is directed by single i'm
pulse
In describing his invention DR.. Bell
says: II have had the feeling that a
properly constructed flying machine
should be capable of being flown as a
kite and, conversely, that a properly
constructed kite should be capable Of
use as a flying machine when driven
by it's own propellers. Given a kite so
shaped as to be suitable for the body
of q flying machine and so efficient
that it will fly well in a good breeze
when loaded with weight equivalent
to that of a man and engine, then it
seems to me that this same kite pro-
vided with an actual engine and man
in place of the load and driven by It's
own propellers, should be sustained in
calm air as a flying machine"
In one of DR.. Bells experiments the
machine was operated in a dead calm
by attaching the cord, strong manila
rope, to a galloping horse The horse
furnished to the apparatus a power of
propulsion equivalent to that which an
engine might have given, and it rose
and scared beautifully. 1t was an ap-
plication of the same principle as that
employed by the small boy who when
the breeze is too light to raise his kite
runs with it along the ground
Another experimenter who has no
faith in the dirigible balloon is John
P. Holland the inventor Of the subna.
rine torpedo boat. He says: THE solu
ton Of the problem Of aerial nayiga.
ton is much easier than that Of sub
marine travelling. The practical method
OF aerial navigation will be with