Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09
Curtiss Wants to Make Improve
ments to His Engine.
AERONAUT HERRING WITNESS
Looks Over Experiments at Fort
Own Solution of Air Travel.

Capt. Baldwin has succeeded in fulfill
ing the first requirement of his contract
with the government for supplying d
dirigible balloon for the Signal Corps of
the army. The board of officers who in
spected the big airship yesterday at Fort
Myer accepted it. as far as the construc-
ton of the machine is concerned: the
other requirements remaining to be full
filled are the speed and endurance quail
ties of the aerial craft.
An ascent was made. AS Capt. Baldwin
was not satisfied with the working of the
engine. no attempt at speed or an en-
durance test was made.
The balloon. which Capt Baldwin has
unofficially christened THE California
Arrow No. TO- covered something over
five miles at the rate of seventeen miles
an hour.
No Attempt at Speed.
The ascent was made exactly at :
o'clock. The course was first laid toward
Washington, 1t being the intention to
circle the Monument and return. Engi-
neer Curtiss said he did not have gasoline
enough Oh board for the fight. After
circling the parade ground again the bal
loon bore away to the west and went as
far az Baiiston. Oh the Falls Church rail
road.
The ship was out of sight of the crowd
at the balloon tent for nine minutes and
then came back down the wind, making
fast time. The landing was made as
easily as any that have preceded 1t.
The army officers present expressed
themselves pleased with the control OF
the airship. 1t was matter of general
regret that the engine was not in condi-
ton for speed trial.
The members Of the board present were
Gen. James Allen. Maj. Squires. Capt.
Wallace Lieut.. Lahm and Lieut.. Foulois
The only one of the foreign embassies
| represented was Russia: The Russian
! military attache, Col. Baron de Bode.
was present and took a great deal of in
| terest in the fight. Russia has two Of
! fetal observers watching the Wright
! trials outside of Paris and Is reported to
have bought one OF F'armans machines.
/ The British government has made a
! number of inquiries about the Fort Myer
| trials. Col James Temple. chief expert
menter with dirigbles in the British
army, landed in New York Yesterday
| he is expected. in Washington.
! He is an old friend of Capt. Baldwin
The Multi Secundus, the British dirigible
wrecked in a storm at the Crystal Palace
. was modelled closely on the lines OF the
California Arrow.
| The exact cause Of the engine trouble
with the Baldwin ship today was in the
carburetor and ports. The engine Is one
of four cylinders, and has a single car
! buretor supplying explosive mixtures to
| all of them.
! When running the engine with wide
open ports the power Is increased 70 per
| cent. But in this case. the piston In each
| cylinder carries back a little air with IL
| and changes the quality Of the mixture sc
| that one carburetor will not supply the
| best mixture for all four cylinders.
To obviate this difficulty MIR. Curtiss
! has decided to put separate carburetor
on each cylinder This will be done by
] tomorrow afternoon when the official
Night will be attempted.
Curtiss OF to New Yorw.
! Curtiss went back to New York las,
night and will return the first Of next
! week.
Lieut.. Selfridge. who has been working
with DR.. Alexander Graham Bell and other
members of the Aeronauticai Experiment
! Association at Hammondsport, N. Y, is
coming to Washington to witness the
flight of the Baldwin ship tomorrow.
!, The inspection of the airship made by
the board Of Signal Corps officers was ex-
! acting. The only condition imposed by the