Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-15
BREEZE TOO VIGOROUS
Wright Postpones Flight in
His Aeroplane.
TWENTY-MILE WIND BLOWS
Little Prospect of Moderation This
Afternoon.
DISAPPOINTMENT YESTERDAY
Proposed Speed Trial to Alexandria
and Return-Immunity Of Air
ships From Gunfre.

There was no fight of the Wright
aeroplane this morning. There was a
stiff breeze blowing and Mr.. Wright de-
cided not to go up at all. The cavalry
were out on the drill ground early. but
there was such wind that the whole
troop at one end of the field was
blanketed with dust so as 10 be invisible
from the other end Steady as the aero
plane has proved itself, there was no
likelihood of its Drawing this wind. and
the mechanics and enlisted men on what
is known as THE balloon detail sat
around the tent and waited for some
thing to turn up. The motor had been
all tuned up and everything was favor
able for a fight except the wind.
The weather bureau did not hold out
very much hope for change today. The
breeze was twenty miles from the north
east. The prospect was for continual
tion of the brisk wind till tomorrow. wher
il is likely to shift to the east and then
To the south with moderating tendencies.
The same conditions prevailed yesterday
afternoon. There was n throng of 200
or 1900 persons at the fort waiting for the
flight. but they were disappointed.
The Speed Trial.
Mr. Wright will not take his machine
over the course laid out for the speed
trial. from Washington TO Alexandria and
return. until he undertakes the official
speed trial before the army board.
In the event that Mr.. Wright fultillS
both the endurance and speed trials ana
his machine is accepted by the signal
Corps. he will be required TO train two
officers Of that corps in the handling of
his machine. These will be Lieuts. Frank
u. Lahm and Thomas E. Selfridge. Mr..
Wright claims this will not be a difficult
requirement to fulfill. He will attach
another set of levers to the machine for
the control of the planes and rudder and
will keep his hand on one set of levers
while the officer will underta axe the con-
troll of the machine by means of the other
set. Mr.. Wright must complete his off,
cial trials by the 18th of this month, but
the time for teaching the officers is I'M
limited
Immunity From Gunfire.
There has been good deal of discussion
in army circles as TO whether it would
field gun. and some of the officers at Fort
Myer are anxious to try it-theoretically.
1t would be nice for the sunners if an
aeroplane could be turned loose without
a man on board. of course. and they
could be allowed to try some fancy
shooting at 1t. But that is rather out OF
the question with $4,000 machine, even
II il could be made to run without an
operator Still there can be something
done in the way of training field guns on
the machine and seeing whether IL would
he possible to get a line on il while in
fight. Some of the officers have talked
with Mr.. Wright on the subject. and
would like to station a battery at about
1000 yards and try snap shooting at the
machine. 1t is questionable whether
much could be learned I'm this way. be-
cause about the only method of telling
whether the guns have the range would
he to burst shrapnel in the air. The
chief signal officer has said that he has
a number of old balloons that are at the
disposal of the artillery any time they
are ready to practice on them. but shoot
ing at captive. or even free balloon.
would not be near such sport as wing
shooting at an aeroplane.
Foreign Negotiations.
1t may be remarked that in the early
days of the Wrights' negotiations with
foreign governments for the sale of the
machine, one of the powers expressed an
interest i'm the question and was willing
TO buy. provided the machine came up to
the requirements in endurance. speed ana
'irlmunity from gunfire.'' 1t was asked
how this immunity was to be gagged
and the reply was simple enough. Send a
man up in the machine and let us shoot
- him II the machine escapes il will
he all right. and il II gets hit il will
show that it is not the sort of a machine
we want. Needless to say. the negotia-
tons broke down at this point.