Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-04-09
view to establishing the existence or

view to establishing the existence or
non-eX1stence of the land reported by
longitude 40. Given a favorable base
at the east end of the barrier, this might
be done with a sledge journey of the
same extent as that which Lieut. Shackle-
ton has just accomplished. In any case. it
Is certain that the Ross sea and barrier
afford the most promising base for future
work. Efforts to approach the antarctic
continent from any other point in it's vast
circumference give little hope of success,
and the French expedition in Pourauoi
Pass. now about to winter in the vicinity
or Graham Land, is hardly likely to achieve
results that can compare with those of
the recent British expedition.
The expedition has robbed the novelist
OF a favorite field of exercise for magma
ton Frequently fiction writer's have
pictured an antarctic Utopia, bathed in
sunshine, sheltered from the rude blasts
OF corroding competition, wherein ideal
socialists had 'allthingsin common among
them The Nimrod has dispelled that
illusion and narrowed down the dreamers
to still more restricted limits than hither-
to.
Mention of Capt Cook reminds me
that the Prince of Wales has consente ed
to become honorary chairman of the GEN
eral committee formed to promote the
erection in London of a memorial in hon.
or to Capt. Cook. the great navigator and
explorer. The proposal was originated
ex-prime minister of New South Wales
published last November. urging that the
capital of the British empire should not
be without a monument to the man who
laid the foundation of the present great
ness of Australia and New Zealand
Interest in Aeroplanes.
The aero exhibition in London this
week has effectively proved that a new
industry has been born in England, as in
other countries. The exhibitors assure
me they have done a brisk business in
aeroplanes. One British inventor and
builder, Howard r. Wright. has received
orders for six aeroplanes on his model, at
$4,000 each, on a guaranty being given
that they will fly, and the inventor will
instruct the buyers on their use. Capt.
Wyndham, kings messenger, has sold
one of his aeroplanes TO 81 DIR. Boyd for
S3..OO The inventor promises TO fly
across the channel this year. Severa<
other orders are announced besides these
AS matter of fact, it is very curious
kind OF excitement that one feels at the
aero exhibition at Olympia. You may go
without any particular interest. without
even believing very much. Then slowly,
as you walk about. the great sweep of
the aeroplanes begins to fascinate you
and the end is real excitement, which
makes YOU stand and stare at the sheer
simplicity OF the things, the shallow firm
curves of the planes, the criss-cross of
reinforcing wires, the absence of con-
traptions." switch or two for controll-
ing the engine, very little running gear
for managing the planes, hardly to be
'~'""e. amid the reinforcing wires, and
that is all. The rest is as clear and as
nS.ueu IA, ...,hema tics-is, indeed. mathe-
matics-aHo not much less difficult in the
working out.
But there. so far worked out already
and in existence. with something of a
record behind them the simplicity is
splendid. Moreover the things look as IL
they would fly. they look right. OF
course. they will be very much more
right yet, but even as they stand they
are convincing. Above all. they look ra-
tional They are not attempts to initiate
birds or mayfiies, or any complicated
and power-wasting substitutes for the
fight-motions of nature. They look like
products of human reason and sense. and
that is the most hopeful point about
them.
1 speak. of course. of the aeroplane
strictly so called, the biplane or the
monoplane. with more or less box-kite
attachments forward and aft. The show
does not lack machines which are still
hunting after those. elusive flight mo-
tions-helicopters and stereOpters and
so on-whieh the plain man classes as
flapping machines. They are tremen-
dousiy ingenious and inspire no conf
dence 1T all II is curious. too. to find
how very little one cares about the small
models. save the model OF the Wright
brothers aeroplane. They were well
enough while we had none of the real
things. but the Noisin aeroplanes here
make them look like toys. They do fly.
! believe. and they have ..practica BILE
propellers, which are worked by long