The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-04-10

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the alloy in my lower plate tnat II
merely offsets gravitation, and put my
sheet of insular substance between;
and there we have deviation. Those
two plates are working against each
other with nearly equal force, the bal
ance being disturbed only in ratio to
gravitation."
The solution of the flying ma
chine!" Jenkins shouted excitedly, and
Roberts, appreciating the engineers.
quick understanding. smiled and re-
sponded:
Yes, just that"
But what will furnish its propul-
sion?" asked Jenkins, whose mind
was travelling over the possibilities of
rapid fight. The others evinced their
interest by craning forward.
TT will furnish its own" the SCI
enlist answered, because by the use
Of the apparatus behind it We can
excite it's radioactivity to any degree
that might be safe. More plainly, the
moment the current excites and there
fore increases the power of the lower
plate, lifting energy could be exerted
which would destroy the equilibrium
of deviation and drive the plates into
|. the air with force corresponding to
the strength or character of the cur
rent. Or, on the other hand, il the
upper plate was similarly excited, thus
liberating its corpuscles, the plate
would be driven toward the earth"
The admiral, who had been slowly
following this dissertation, seemed
suddenly to have grasped its entire
meaning, and thrust himself out from
the group with both hands extended
and gesticulating rapidly. Then all
you have to do" he said, is to put
on either end of your airship free
board made of this metal, capable Of
excitation and insulated on its inner
surface, and you would thereby be
able to drive your craft in either direc-
ton at any speed you might wish"
That's it exactly" answered Rob-
erts and Jenkins in unison. The in
ventor continued:
Il can beat freeboard, however,
because shall apply my electrical cur
rent in such way as to send all the
corpuscles of radioactive matter in
any direction l may choose. could
with this alloy even create magnets
of unknown power. l can built a craft
in sections where magnets and radio.
active surfaces will alternate"
He was growing excited as the mag
| nj ~ he 81
dawned upon his imagination. Norma
Gained him down; but the admiral, in
fected with these visions, took up the
strain and enthusiastically expatiated
to his companions. To him the skies
were already filled with flying ships
that we're to swoop down over an enc
my, drop terrific bombs of high ex
plosiyes, and thus sweep the seas
But future events, he was to learn
cannot be predicted with certainty.
We'll, WE'LL" he said, briskly
What next?"
Your engineers must assist me IN
drawing plans. We shall want great
quantities of new material and cleo
trical equipment, and must have then
soon; because when we get well IN
der way we should be able to Great,
two or three of these radioplanes eacl
day."
d The great plates were locked in
and the group repaired to one Of tn,
Offices, where for hours the invento
J elaborated his scheme of control. tn,
mechanical means of which were to b,
worked out and drawings made by tn,
; engineers. And as they toiled owe
their plans, there spread from mou.l
: to mouth throughout the strange col
ony the story of the marvellous con
ception. until even the most prosai
, workman found himself dreaming an,
i specializing over his task. Before dusl
, had crowded the light from the skies
the Columbia, under a full head O
steam, picked her way out to meet tn,
/ ocean swells, and headed for Miami
} where she was to send a message {,
, Washington, calling for strangely al
sorted supplies and notifying the am
( ious naval men that the dry doc
/. would not be needed.
II (TO BE CONTINUED.)
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