The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-10-14

ana OF artificial wings fitted TO their
lin,bs
Historically, aviation is older than
any Kind of baliooning, which I'm
plies the Manufacture OF gas. or hot
air. and bag strong enough to hold
II and big enough TO carry up
man.
The old myths Of flying men and
animals may have had foundation In
fact. Biologists say that lying mon
ster Sauriaus were rea,ites The
Encyclopedias tells Of an English
monk who could fly more than an
eighth OF Il mile before lecoming toI
weak and tired 70 further flap his
wings. about A. d. 1G40,
The note book OF Leonardo da
inc! contains several sketches of
wings to be fitted t. arms and legs
of 'bet-msn.' 1t seems that human
h0iGEs have always wanted TO fly.
Perhaps that longing may yet be
realized with Artificial wings in this
lie. In the next life. perhaps, We
SHAH not need wings notwithstand
in.s the pictures by poets and paint
ers of the holy white-wineed angels.
In August Aviation III. La v,
TwiRing says: THAT one or two tons
eau find support In the air and ay
over the earth has ceased to cause
wonder. The possibility of such a
thing had long been denied. and
when the dream OF ages had been
realized the human intellect could
see Teely realize it
Tut 1t IS a. wonderful thing. ass
man swimming must have seemed
onderfui to the non-swimmer who
SAN it for the first time. But every
thing seems easy when you know
how.
AIR. Twining says: We must look
to improveme in the curved sur
faces of aeroplanes FOR future adj
vance IN the art OF flying In spite
Of all the public horror about dread
ful aeroplane accident. In a little
more than two years. ending February
9. 1911, says Claude Grahame-White
In THE Aeroplane." there were only
81 aeroplane fatalities. but 80 people
were killed and so we're injured in
mountain climbing during the year
ending January /. 1911
OF course, more people We're clint
ing mountains than were operating
aeroplanes. When desertable seat
and (, suitable parachute ere de-
yised for the aeroplane operator, per
haps serious accidents VIII be much
rarer than now.
But It Is evident that the aero
plane has come to stay. and even
were the dangers as great and as
many as the shudderlng public mag
ines. there woud still be plenty OF
both men and women, boys and girls
who would gladly accept an oppor
tunfty TO become aeropiane opera
tors
or course, there Is money IN it
lFas ,y-e
than 10 the aeroplane operators But
II Is business that is progressing
by lea2s and bounds and many more
are getting into the game OF fame
and fortune. of life or death, every
day.
1t is believed that the existence Of
SO many air vehicles is doing more
to keep peace In Europe than any other
consideration. Nearly every war arises
| from some commercial complica ton.
A mere matter OF alleged national
honor" and usually mere matter OF
actual national greed or pride. But
1t was one thing under old conditions
/ 10 fire the patriotic heart by over
eloquent orations. and say GO In,
( boys; your country needs you'll Be a
hero in the strife Then go back to
your money making from big govern
nlent contracts. and be as safe al
/ bug in rug all during the war. Now,
the banker. the lawmaker. the captain
OF industry, the government, contrac-
tor could not And q place of safety
; from explosives dropped by air yehi-
eles. and they realize it. Hence It
| takes less than 1t did, much less, to
save the face" Of a pugnacious war
lord, whose polemic bluff has been
promptly called. Tat condition will
+ become more tense before II IL more