Los Angeles herald., 1909-01-04
AERON auto NOTES

Army and navy officers believe that
instruction in aeronautics will be given
both at West Point and Annapolis
within a few years.
Capt. Thomas Scott Baldwin has been
spending some time at St. Louis on
preliminary arrangements for the elm
nation contests to choose contestants
for the international balloon race. The
elimination balloon race will take place
from st. Louis next September.
The Aeronautical Society of Great
Britain has secured a plot of ground
half a mile square near London for
experiments by its members.
Large and brightly colored signs will
be fixed on roofs of public buildings in
French towns by the touring commit
tee of the Automobile Club de France
to enable aviators easily to recognize
localities over which they pass.
DR.. Alexander Graham Bells new
aeroplane, the Sygnet, will have its
first trial this month.
The Journal of the American Society
of Mechanical Engineers for December
contains a comprehensive address on
military aeronautics, delivered before
the society last month by Maj. George
o. SqUier of the United States signal
corps, as we'll as a full list of aeronau-
teal societies and publications and
numerous illustrations of dirigibles and
aeronefs.
Oliver K. Chance of Minneapolis is
building a combination balloon, aero
plane and helicopter and selling stock
to finance the construction.
The glider used in the gliding school
established at Lille by the Aero Club
du Nord has the two wings set at a
strong dihedral angle with a smaller
horizontal plane forming the hypo-
thenuSe of the angle.
In connection with the French mill
tary trials at discharging bombs from
captive balloons the course of the pro-
jectile through the air is photographed.
Trials of this sort are also to be made
with dirigibles
The Aero club of New England will
buy a racing balloon of II, 900 cubic feet
capacity, costing $1,000.
Gustav Pabst has presented a balloon
to the Milwaukee Aero club. After
waiting fifteen days for a favorable
wind the club postponed the initial
ascension until next April.
The Worcester Aero club of Worces-
ter, Mass, will buy a balloon for the
use of it's members. 1t will be called
the Worcester.
Japan is negotiating with A. Leo
Stevens for the purchase Of a large
dirigible to be constructed in this coun-
| try. There are numerous rumors that
the Japanese government is conducting
many secret experiments with aerial
craft.
Aeronautics, the New York maya
zine, gives a description and picture of
the Zerbe aeroplane in the December
number.
A siren is now manufactured espe-
cially for balloon use. 1t warns per-
sons on the ground that the balloon is
| coming, giving them time to recover
| from their establishment so they may
answer the questions of aeronauts. The
balloon siren was tried successfully by
| A. Leo Stevens on a trip with the All
! America from Canton, 0.
| Mrs. Mary S. Roper, who sued the
Ulster county, N. Y, Agricultural So
ciety for $25, 900 because she was carried
up by a balloon when her foot was
entangled in rope on the ascending
balloon, received a verdict for $1,000
Samuel r. Gardenhire. the New York
| author and lawyer, will send an aero
plane to the Morris Park grounds OF
the Aeronautic society. 1t is designed
with the idea of lifting itself off the
ground by it's own power. It is de-
signed and built by Oscar Ostergren, a
Swedish engineer, who drew the plans
! for the United States torpedo boat
Bailey. Mr.. Gardenhire is the author
of LUX Crueis," '"The Silence of Mrs
Harold and number of other widely
read books.
The Aerial Experiment association
utilized in the construction of its fourth
aerodrome, Silver Dart, the idea sc
strongly urged for some time by Prof
Zerbe Of utilizing the current of ali
! forced back by the propeller to aid the
| buoyancy of the aeroplane.
1