The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-20
THE AIRSHIP AS
 A LAW BREAKER

'aThe Law of the Afrship.'' the sub- ject of the lecture by Prof Simeon E.. Baldwin. chief justice of the supreme court of Connecticut. last night at the new light on a question now being discussed by the scientists of the world. Prof. Baldwin is the first to bring up the matter of airship laws and his lecture brings forward a point which will have to be recognized by all nations. The fact that the airshfp is being put to practical use will force the whole world to adopt a code of laws for the aeronaut, says Prof Bald win as a public nuisance and, says Chief Justice Baldwin, will be the cause of law suits. but the invention will even tualiy prove useful to the public. Prof. Baldwin went deeply into the technical points of the law covering the new invention. bringing up few of the. thousands of problems which are bound to confront the public. The processes of law will have to be diff ferent and the public only can com plain. says the chief justice.
 Aviation. in its new form. will shorten the times and will be produc- tive of great public benefits, said the chief justice. The invention will bring out the characteristics of man-cour- age. fortitude and presence of mind.
 Prof Baldwin spoke of the English law regarding automobiles and used a case in England which came up from this law. as an illustration An automobile owner in England was found guilty by English courts when his auto jumped to the sidewalk. the accident being caused by the slippery condition of the streets Prof. Bald win compared this case with aero nauts who make bad use of the air with their airships.
 It was pointed out by Professor Baldwin that airships are really in vading the rights of landowners by flying over property and if an airship settles on a part of some property, it will be a direct wrong against the owner of the land on which 1t comes down. This trouble can be brought up only in the courts having Jurisdiction over the land in question: Should the government establish a roadway in the air and the houses under 1t are in danger, an injunction may be granted against airships for the trouble caus- ed by soot. smoke, or bad smell
 "A serious and fundamental ques- tion in the ariship law said Profes- sor Baldwin. ais the following one: Will the government protect owners of airships in an accidental fall and an injury to people below?" His H. lustration on the English automobile law which then followed, gave the hearers an idea of the way in which that difficulty would be overcome.
 Dropping sand bags will result in many damage suits and the party i'm Jured can as we'll lay claim to dam ages if he is not injured on his own land.
 But for all of the problems which may come up through the misuse of the afrships aeronauts are pursuing an occupation. which will be full of advantages said Professor Baldwin. "The invention will be useful in times of peace as well as in war and in commerce the time is coming fast when the ship in the air will be as useful as the ship on the sea.
 Now that the North Pole is discov- cred and the center of Africa has be- come we'll known" said he in closing. nothing is left for man but to conquer the air."