Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-09-09

not be denied short OF death itself-Rnd
even there I've is putting mp as game q
nght as anywhere along the line, often
turning aside the Grim Reaper when
formerly he fell at the first stroke.
Mankind loves the unusual, the spec
tacular, the thrill and spice Of danger.
Ali these unite in what mas come to be
called withdrawing. Besides these
factors there is the future promise of
something intensely practical in the way
Of navigation and transportation At
present we have the satisfaction of know
ing that man can do what until now he
has never been able to do-he can travei
the air, as he has long travelled the earth
and the seas. 1t is singular, too, that al
most simultaneously two different kinds
OF craft should demonstrate their special
adaptability. For many years man has
been able to ascend to great heights by
the use of balloons-huge bags filled with
gas lighter than air, which, in their
efforts to restore the equilibrium, have,
when released at the earth, drawn csrgoes
of several hundred pounds miles aloft.
By allowing gas to escape, or by dis
, charging ballast, it has been possible for
the crews to regulate the altitude, but
these balloons have been wholly at the
mercy of the winds as to direction, ami
since air currents far above the earth's
surface cannot be depended upon to
agree with those within observation, the
balloons are as likely to drift to danger
zones as away from them. They have
served useful purposes many times and
have given us much scientific data, but it
was conceded early that the simple bal
loon could never be called an sirship. 1t
is like a chip in a river current.
But having discovered in the balloon
something that would ride the air, inven-
tors set to work to devise means of driv-
ing it this way and that, and controlling
its movements, and as the result we have
the dirigible balloons craft sustained
in air by gas, propelled by power
and steered by rudder. Count Yep
pelin, the aged German who has spent
q lifetime in working out the problem,
sees his long task crowned with success
in being able to make q flight of $50
miles from Friedrischafen to Berlin, carry
ing eleven persons, and returning with
out serious delay or accident. True, be
was favored with good weather and at
mospheric conditions, upon which, in
deed, his kind of craft seem to still
largely depend. The great bulk OF the
dirigible offers such resistance surface
to the winds and storms Of heaven that II
can still be regarded as q fair weather
craft. Yet it is g marked achievement in
seronatics to build an airship that can
do What Zeppelin III did.
At the same hour that this ship was
making its flight, there we're circIine
about at Rheims, in France, some sixty
! heavier-than-air machines competing fol
! the prizes offered those that should DIS
: the longest, the fartbest and the fastest.
These craft, called aeroplanes, are BULL
on quite a different plan than the dIrigi
; bles. They depend on prOpeIling power
for their ascent, engines aboard furnish
ing the power and revolving large pad
dies that beat against the air. Once th,
, ship starts, it is raised by means Of planes
5 and lowered by the same means, Will,
e rudders guide it to the right or left
0 These aeroplanes are relatively small ans
| generally bat one man can be carried il
I them, who is the yery busy and skiIfu
4 operator. There are monoplanes and bi
s planes-single and double planes-witl
little TO choose between them on thei
performances.
|, America has taken a leading part il
:, producing and perfectina the aeroplane
The Wright brothers receive homage q
the pioneers, though there are clos
rivals. Glenn Curtiss made the tastes
. time at Rheims Frenchmen and Eng
lishmen press holly. Bleriot crossed th
English channel, Farman flew lis mile
: in hours and Is minutes, and Lathar
is very swift and high flyer. No dout
present records viii give way TO Others
but it is no mean exploit to do what hs
been done slready.
1t may be remarked in passing, that tn
marked progress in gasoline engine cor
struction is responsible largely for tn
success of aerial navigation. The oil
problem used to be how to get suficier
: motive power without Overwhelming tn
craft with machinery and fuel. The g
engine solves the problem, and we 81
the aeroplane anle to remain in figE
over three hours at high speed. Thel
:. small craft are handled with relative ea,
lie by those skilled, and ON account of the
ve small surface can battle with wind an
10 storm to an astonishing degree. The
as danger rests in their instability, and Il
m faith they are compelled to pin on q gas
ID line engine-a mechanism not always +
IN liable. But then, there are dangers