The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-11-15
Ely's Airship Rises After Strik-
ing Water in Descent From
Cruiser.
FIRST FLIGHT FROM SHIP
SHOWS NEED OF AIR NAVY
Aviator, in Epoch Making Trip,
Wins Prize offered by
J. B. Ryan.

H.
Aerial navigation proved today that it
is factor which must be dealt with in
the naval tactics of the future. if the
successful flight made by Eugene E.
Ely IN Curtiss biplane from the deck
of the cruiser Birmingham can be taken
as a criterion.
From Hampton Roads, the scene
forty-fIvc years ago Of another epoch
in the history of naval warfare, when
an iron clad proved its superiority over
the former type of fighting vessel, The
aviator today flew across the lower end
of Chesapeake bay. landing on the shore
opposite this for.
In weather conditions unfavorable for
flying, the aviator shortly after )
0 clock this afternoon glided from the
platform erected on the front of tho
cruiser. swoopcd down until he touched
the water rose rapidly and was off in
the direction of the Atlantic. -Four
minutes later he was lost on the eastern
horizon. and an instant later had landed
safely oil Willoughby spit.
The impact with which the machine
struck the water after its 3I-foot drop
from the cruiser. split small piece
of tho acroplane was not ]esseued and
il dartcd away with express train rap
idity on its flicht.
Elements Unpropitious.
Intermittent rain throughout the day,
several small hail showers aud con
tinuous fog almost compelled ''e avI-
ator to postpone his attempt But he
was determined to prove, rs he said
after the flight, that he could accom-
plish more than had been expected
Furthermore. he did not wait for tho
Birmingham to get in motion which
would have added to his momentum and
thus havo "ided him, but seizing mn op-
perfume moment between showers. he
was off before those on the ship with
him aud ON the other vessels stationed
nearby TO follow and assist him In case
of need, were aware that he was ready.
Ely today said it would be an easy
matter for an acroplape to alight on
vessel. either while the latter was
MOVING or standing still Naval cX.
perts who witnessed tho flight expressed
their belief that the navles of the tu-
ture must take the aeroplaue into con-
sideration.
Captain Washington I. Chambers, who
has been detailed bv The navy depart
ment as chairman OF board for aero
nautical investigation, declared the
flipht was more than he had anticipated
and is confident the time IS near when
all scont cruisers viii be equipped with
several aeroplaucs. They would not be
for battleshp use, he explained, but Tor
scout duty,
Starting out from the .Norfolk navy
ward mt II 80 O'Clock this morning on
the Birmingham. closely followed by the
naval vessels. il was fully four hours
before Ely s machine was working to
his full satisfaction.
The machine sin which he flew was
The one that Glenn Curtiss used on his
Albany to New York flight, 1t had
seen two previous cross water flights,
one over Lake Erie from Euclid Beach
20 Cedar Point and back. distance
of seventy miles; the other by Mr..
Curtiss himself over the Atlantic ocean
off Atlantic City, when it covered fifty
miles.
The distance which Ely flew today
was nearly five miles. 1t was 3:l6
o clock when he took 10 the air. and
five minutes later he was safe on Var
ginia soil few mics north OF NOT
folk. Mr.. Elv. after being brought
bnck on a launch and placed aboard the
torpedo boat destroyer Roe, said he was
not fond of the water, but be had over
come his fears long enough to accom-
plish his purpose.
When he struck the water on diving
off the platform on the Birmingham:
salt water dashed into his face aud
gn~oles, and he could not see for sew
cral minutes in which direction he was
going. He had planned TO take a diff
fcrcnt course from that he followed and
to land further to the north. The high.
est altitude he attained was estimated
at 800 feet,
His striking the water. he said after
ward, was due to a misealcuIatIou, He
had planned before he left tho incline
to drop near the water so as to get the
momentum which he wanted to carry
him upward but he over-reached the
mark,
MIR Ely returned 10 Norfolk imme-
diateIy after the flight; and if weather
conditions tomorrow are favorable he
Will attempt flight over the city
1t is understood Eiv by his flight won
IL $500 prize offered by John Barry
RYAN, for the first flight of milo or
more from any ship to land. Further
experiments Of II similar nature. 1t is
believed, viii be conducted soon by the
navy department.
Ar,