Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1911-07-05

WY HIS is going to be the biggest
year yet for aviation. Not
only in America and Europe,
but in far-off countries like
Japan air craft are being built
oy the hundreds and scores Of exhibi-
tions are planned for the next few
months. In this country and in Eu-
rope alone total of more than $780,
900 Is offered in prizes for aviators.
No such wonderful progress in new
means of transportation has ever been
witnessed in the world before. The
flying machine Is coming into general
use more than twice as rapidly as did
the automobile. Although travel by
land and water will not be rivaled by
travel in the air for many years to
come, yet the airship Is likely to out
strip all other methods Of rapid trans
portation within the next year or SO.
America is still far behind Europe,
both in the giving Of prizes and the
flying Of machines. This, however, is
not likely to continue to be the case.
Not even France is showing more ac-
tivity in aviation than America Is be-
ginning to. The list of prizes that are
open for competition thus far this
year in America totals almost $780,
900. Under the auspices Of the Chi.
cago Aero club, there will be tour
nament that in the wealth of its prizes
and the distinction of Its contestants
will exceed anything the world yet has
seen. The most expert of pilots will
be in charge and the most famous OF
inventors will there meet in contest.
The prizes are fixed at minimum OF
100000. At the very first meeting OF
the club. called by Harold F. McCor-
mick, $4,000 was subscribed, and
since then the total originally desig,
mated has been made up.
Like all the other contests OF this
year, it will be cross-country meet
that is, 1t will be long-distance affair
and not merely an exhibition. 1t will
be utilitarian, and nothing will be per.
mitted in the way of competition that
will not have for its intent the evolu,
tion of the science of aviation. The
Chicago Aero club in this particular is
following closely the lines laid down
by the Aero Club of America, which
has for its basic principle the making
of mere sport subsidiary to utility and
advancement. Hence it is that 1t has
enlisted hundreds of thousands of cap.
ital contributed by men whose eco.
nomic genius forbids a questioning OF
the correctness of their foresight.
These men do not fly machines. But
at their desks they write out the
checks that stimulate pilots" and In
cite inventors to their best efforts
They pay the expenses, precisely as
1.-The grocery men" in the days of the
Argonauts "grub-staked" the pros
pectors for gold and other precious
metals.
Among the other prizes that will be
competed for this summer Is that Of
fered by the Automobile Club of Amer
ica, motor reliability, $1,000. Then
there is the $4,000 prize offered by
Edwin Gould for the most perfect anc
practical heavier-than-air flying ma
chine designed and equipped with two
or more separate motors and propell
ers 30 connected that they may be op
Grated individually or together. There
are two big prizes for long flights
One of these is $4,000 for flight
across the continent, and the other
$4,000 for a fight from New York tc
st. Louis.
In England the biggest prize that
has been hung up thus far this year
Is for the 1,000-mile race around Great
Britain, and the winners purse is $50,
600. On the continent the French
governments competition for military
aeroplanes has $4,000 in prizes. The
prizes at miscellaneous meets and cir
cults In Germany, Italy, Russia and
Belgium amount to s150,000. There
are many big individual events. Al
over the world the story Is the same
They are having aviation meets IL
Hawaii, in China, in Japan, in Aus
tralia, in India, and even down IL
South Africa.
Almost as important as getting the
right sort of motor Is the finding Of
the secret OF automatic stability OF
aeroplanes. More has been learned II
the last twelve months about the
swirls and turmoils that beset the nav
igator in the fields Of air than evel
was known before. But the aero
plane will have to become steady
well-balanced machine under varying
conditions before 1t can surpass the
automobile in popularity and genera
use. Many devices are being tried Il