New-York tribune., 1905-11-20
AERIAL NAYIGATTON.

Charles NJ Manly, who was for several years
associated with Professor Langley in expert
ments which had an unfortunate termination,
believes that large sphere Of usefulness is open
to the flying machine. In address to the re
Gently organized Aero Club in this city the other
night he said that the invention would probably
prove as serviceable to mankind as the steam
boat the locomotive or any other modern vehicle.
Few persons who are not aeronautic enthusiasts
VIII accept this estimate. That selfpropelled
airship will facilitate the exploration Of hitherto
inaccessible places and will enlarge the possibil-
tiles of military reconnaissance is beyond ques-
ton; and geographical research certainly is de-
sirable-more so, perhaps, than advances in the
art of war. But the world cannot possibly de-
rive such great and practical benefits from the
airship as it does from cheap means of transpor-
tation for the masses. A much more limited
number of people will employ 1t than use an au-
tomobile; and even the automobile cannot be
said to meet any overpowering human need.
AS between the type of flying machine which
relies for support q gas bag and one which
secures buoyancy only from progressive motion,
Mr. Manly expresses decided preference for the
latter For such a choice there is still much ex-
cuse. Santos-Dumont and his followers have
performed the most sensational aeronautic feats
up to the present time: but the day for final
Judgment has not arrived. Among the advocates
of the aeropane have been a score of level
headed scientific men, Lord Kelvin and Sir
Hiram Maxim among them With great pro-
priety Mr. Manly laid stress on the fact that
Professor Langley's aerodrome failed to fly be-
cause of the defective means of launching it. and
not because of any inherent defect in its prin-
ciple In fact. long before the big machine
which was tested publicly at Whitewater on the
Potomac was built small models had been tried
in private and had exhibited great promise
The speaker had the grace to mention, more
over the quiet progress being made along the
same line by the Wright brothers, of Dayton,
Ohio. These men are said TO have made no
fewer than fifty short flights above a local park
without serious accident. Thus they demon
strated not only the feasibility of remaining
aloft as long their airships were kept in mo-
tion, but also of making a start and landing with
out mishap. Such performances show that sub
stantial Improvement is being made in the hand
ling of aeroplanes, even If none has been effected
in their design. To make a voyage lasting for
two or three hours may require larger supply
of fuel than the Wright brothers have yet found
it practicable to carry. Otherwise the construc-
tion of airship for such work would ap-
parently be a simple matter. When once it has
made its appearance the chance will be afforded
for an instructive comparison between the two
types of craft 1t may then turn out that in di-
minished friction with the air, in endurance and
possibly in other qualities the aeroplane is dis
tincty superior to the gas bag.
The formation of q society in this country like
the Aero Club is good thing. There is evidence
that a majority Of the members of the new or
ganization are men and are qualified by ex-
perience and scientific training to proceed intelii-
gently in whatever venture they undertake.
Criticism and competition, while imposing checks
on njudicous methods, VIII stimulate well di-
rected effort Those results are sure to follow
close affiliation among devotees of aerial nayi-
CATION. AIr. Manly has oyerrated the Importance
of the sort of experiment with which he has
been Identified, but the work deserves encourage