New-York tribune., 1908-09-23
THE AERoPLANE SCORES AGAIN.

Wilbur Nright's performance at LIE Mans
will do more than cheer Orville up bit. 1t
will have a wholesome influence on pubic
opinion. It should strengthen confidence III
the merits of the aerOplane. as well as demon
strate that of the various airshps of that type
vet exhibited the machine of the wright
brothers has the largest powers of endurance
AS Mr.. Wrghts reservoir contained 1uei
enough to last another hour, he might have
stayed up two hours and half, instead OF
only one hour and a half With notable pru-
dence the Wrights reveal the possibilities OF
their device only by degrees, and not all at
once Their policy resembles that of the
Cunard company relative to the speed of Its
new steamships leaving the world to sPecu-
late as to the extent of future advances on
their record Perhaps if the weather conditions
on Monday had permitted Mr. Nrleht 10
ascend at an earlier hour he would have re-
mained up much longer but he probably ac-
complished all that he desired. He did his
full share of the work of keeping up the repu-
tation of the family
Concerning the distance covered on Monday
somewhat conflicting reports current 1t
was 666 kilometres (411a miles,, according to
one account and 9S kilometres (61 miles,. ac-
cording to another. There being no question
as to the duration Of the flight. there is some
uncertainty whether the average speed at
tanned was only % miles sn hour or fully ~
Possibly the two statements can be reconcled
in the following manner: By the terms of the
competition for the Michen prize time limit
was imposed by sunset At that instant Mr.
Wright had been in the air only 53 minutes.
If it should turn out that $3.50 kilometres We're
trave1sed in less than an hour. the speed could
not have fallen below 40 miles. In any case.
the velocity developed at Fort Myer in some
of the recent fights approached. if it did not
exceed 40 miles and the machines which have
been on exhibition in France and the United
States during the last two or three weeks
were supposed to be nearly exact duplicates
If the aeroplane at lie Mans has not yet trav-
elIed at the rate of 40 miles an hour there can
he little doubt that it will attain that speed
when the necessity arises.
Already the unofficial trials in this country
have shown that the Wright machine can
comnly with practically all of the government
reouirements Almost the only remaining I'M
certainty relates to the possibility of reascend-
ing Immediately after landing If the present
design should offer any difnculty IN that re-
sppct however. it is probable that only sllght
modification would remove the embarrassment.
On the other hand. when perfectly satisfactory
nropellers are provided. it is conceivable that
the War Departments demand regarding speed
ian average of 40 miles an hour may be more
than met New screws have helped the speed
of steamships more than once. The Wrights
NAV have an equally fortunate experience when
their aeroplane is equipped as they would like
for its final test. Twice, at least, orviile
Wright has had a companion. as his contract
with the government provides. and twice the
particular machine which was damaged last
week remained aloft more than an hour 1t
any further justification could be needed for
the generous course which the Secretary OF
War seems inclined to pursue with the Wright
brothers il is certainly to be found in the
notoh,y conscientious attitude toward the gov
ernment which the contractors themselves have
assumed