Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1907-05-17
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Observation-Disclosures

Aerial navigation is the rage just
now, cables the Paris correspondent
of the New York Herald. M. San
tos-Dumont's epoch making flight 9
few months ago has convinced the
world that the subject is not the
dream of Missionaries. like perpetual
motion or the philosophers stone
Since then feverish activity has
reigned in aeronautical circles.
Many machines are being built and
hundreds are being planned.
M. Santos-D Hmont, as the first iiv-
ing man to construct a successful
aeroplane. Is naturally regarded as
chief authority on the matter. Par
ticular interest consequently attaches
to the details of his projects, which
he has just made public in the Euro
pean edition of the Herald. His ex-
periments with the aeroplane, which
he christened the Bird of Prey, were
so satisfactory that the one he is now
building is of the same form but
smaller and lighter.
Its total surface" he says, will
be thirteen square metres. From tip
to tip 1t will measure eleven metres.
The Bird of Prey was twelve metres
from tip to tip. But the great differ
ence between the new and the earlier
model will lie in the depth of the
wings, which are merely sixty cent?
metres across instead of two metres
sixty centimetres. The change is
striking. The entire structure is be-
ing constructed of wood and alumni
mum.
Apparatus Near Completion.
II have been fortunate enough to
find four fine pieces of wood. each
six metres long. with which to make
the wings. Already two wings are
built, and in a week from now the
apparatus will commence to take
shape.
II shall mount fifty-horse power
Antoinette motor, to commence with,
as the 100 horse power, which / or
dered some time since, is not likely
to be ready before another three
months. With this fifty-horse power
/ hope to attain at least ninety to
100 kilometres an hour. With the
100 horse power motor the speed
should be much greater than this.
81 have increased the pitch of the
propeller, which remains on the same
side, from one metre to one metre
and half The entire machine will
be mounted on one wheel, instead of
two. I hope to attain sufficient
speed for balancing purposes within
a few yards Of the start. If my cal
culations are accurate, the machine
will weigh 200 Kilograms, fifty kilo-
grams less than the Bird of Prey.
Advantage of Small Men.
Eat the present moment / weigh
fifty-five Kilograms myself, or three
Kilograms more than when I last as
cended. This slight difference, how
ever, has no bearing at all on the
question. am still lighter than the
average man, and this fact tells in
my favor, both so far as ascending
and descending are concerned.
"At present / am looking for a
suitable district over which to make
my trial. Yesterday was out along
the Ramouillet road and noticed sew
eral places suitable for the purpose
shall endeavor to obtain one of
these. My shed is ready for erect
Ing. 1t Is only fourteen metres
square, but, as the machine is smaller
than the old one, there will be ample
room for 1t inside.
II hope to make my trials within
q couple of months. AS the machine
is a high speed one the wind should
have very little effect upon it. In
consequence shall be able to make
continuous experiments in all kinds
of weather, which was not the case
with the Bird Of Prey"
Balloons Not Abandoned.
In conclusion M. Santos-D umont
referred to the fact that many people