Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-19
CONQUEST OF
THE AIR
BY FREDERIo j. HAsKIN

vile Wright at Fort Myer last fall
which terminated in the death of Lieu
tenant Selfridge, the injury of Wright
and the wreck of the aeroplane, were
only tests. The fulfillment of the con-
tract of the Wright brothers with the
government will yield them $4,000,
with a liberal bonus for extra speed.
The Wright brothers proved in the
rUnited States their claims as pioneers
in the realm of the birds, and then
proceeded to astonish Europe. They
are selling aeroplanes in France and
Italy, the French government having
paid them 100000 for their patent
rights in that country. A company
has been organized in Germany for
the construction of Wright aeroplanes
The brothers will return to Europe
later this year and give demonstrations
in England, Germany and perhaps
other countries. The machines which
they are now building will carry two
passengers, but they say the aeroplane
eventually may be capable of carrying
fourteen or sixteen passengers. Sixty
Wright machines are being built In
France at a cost of $500 each. The
Wrights have already eliminated the
awkward starting device which was a
feature of their aeroplane, and are said
to have about evolved great improve
ments in the steering apparatus.
Miss Katherine Wright is no longer
designated as 1.-The sister of those crazy
Wright boys" She participated in
part of their European triumphs, and
the three received a royal welcome
when they returned to America. The
city of Dayton, o., the home of the
aviators, broke all records for real
homecoming celebration, at WHICH
nothing was left undone which would
show the pride which their fellow cit
Izens and neighbors took in the
achievements of the inventors. The
brothers received medals from their
state and city, from the Aero Club of
America, and, finally, from the United
States government. President Taft
himself, in the historic East Room of
the White House, pinned upon the
bosoms of the champion navigators of
the air the beautiful gold medals
awarded them by congress.
The records of the patent office show
that over 400 patents on flying ma
chimes of various kinds and their parts
have been granted, of which fifty or
more were issued during the last six
months. Two of these were granted
to the Wrights for improvements on
their aeroplane. Representative Butler
Ames of Massachusetts, grandson OF
General B. F. Butler has applied for
a patent on a machine the principal
feature of which is that the planes re-
volve on horizontal axes. The inven-
tor is said to have obtained the idea
for this scheme by watching f1utter to
the ground a bent pasteboard card
which he had thrown into the air.
The Aeronautical Experiment asso-
citation, of which the moving spirits
were Professor Alexander Graham
Bell. inventor of the telephone, and
q. c. Curtiss, has been dissolved. 1t
was organized to perfect a successful
heavier-than-air flying machine. After
a long series of experiments at Ham
mondsport, N, Y, and in Nova Scotia
this was accomplished. The association
built and operated the "June Bug" the
''Red Wing" and the "Silver Dart,
all successful aeroplanes. The last
named was the first heavier-than-air
machine to fly in Canada. A factory
for making similar machines has been
established in that country.
DR.. Bell recently sailed for Europe
on a vacation, but while there he may
get some new ideas for improving his
tetrahedral kite. "Cygnet IL" This
was successfully flown In CANADA last
winter, and DR.. Bell is satisfied that
It can compete with the aeroplane as
soon as he obtains a suitable engine
for his machine. Instead of having
large planes, "Cygnet II" is made up
of a number of small triangular cells,
which afford a larger surface for lift
ing than mere planes, but which at
the same time confine the air pressure
to q small area of each cell, so that
the apparatus is said to be very steady
In gusty weather.
Aeronautics is becoming a practical
science. Flying machines are no longer
toys Military experts say their utility
in time of war for scout work, Tor the
quick transportation Of dispatches, and,
possibly for transporting troops ana
bombarding forts and ships, cannot be
questioned. In France, scientists are
finding an entirely peaceful use for the
balloon. On the approach OF hall
storm, explosives are sent up IN one
of the big ships of the air, ana wnen
at a great elevation, are touched on
for the purpose of dissipating the
storm which threatens the vineyards.
The United States Weather Bureau
uses captive or free balloons and kites
in it's station at Mt Weather, Va, 10
ascertain the temperature, barometric
pressure, wind velocity and humidity IN
high attitudes.
Professor Todd, a noted astronomer,
now proposes to ascend next September
to a height of 10 miles in balloon
equipped with wireless antennae, in the
hope of catching some of the signals
which he supposes the inhabitants OF
Mars to- be trying to transmit TO tne
earth. Eventually 1t may be possible
to communicate with the sister planet,
IL not to visit 1t, by means or an air
ship The United States Signal corps
is equipping the army balloons with
wireless apparatus, and Leo stevens,
the celebrated aeronaut, Is using the
wireless telephone with some of the
balloons he is making.
The American navy has no airships,
although experts say 1t should have
several aeroplanes for scouting. Lack
of funds explains the situation in this
case Also An effort will be made to
provide one next year. Special artillery
mounted on automobiles has been built
abroad to pursue and destroy military
aircraft and an artificial fog is
planned to hinder their operations.
Nemerous records in flight have been
made and broken during the past few
months. Wilbur Wright few contin-
uously for two hours and twenty-one
minutes ana attained a height of $50
feet. The longest trip Of the kind was
made by the German "Gross," which
left Berlin carrying four passengers
and returned to the starting point after
covering 176 miles in 13 hours. Point
to point balloon races have been held
at North Adams, Mass. To Henry
Farnam, the Scotchman, belongs the
honor of having made the first cross
country aeroplane fight. He Travelled
II miles on this trip at speed of 81
miles an hour, in France. Bleriot, the
Frenchman, in his monoplane not long
ago flew an equal distance across the
country The American, Captain Cody,
recently perfected an aeroplane for the
British army. The Aerial Navigation
company has been incorporated to do
freight and passenger business be-
tween Boston and New York.
nv Of the air a aIraa dU a