Evening star., 1911-08-13
AEROPLANE A POLITICAL FACTOR

The latest discovery in aviation is the
"stabilisateur" or safety guard, which
takes the aeroplane almost
StQbilizin3 from the experimental
stage and places It In the
class OF Inventors which
may be exploited in the future as an ar
ticle OF public utility. even more so. in
deed. than the automobile.
The present utility OF the aeropiane will
he considered chiefly as war machine.
the imminence Of war in Europe having
perhaps inspired the invention.
One Of the greatest problems that in-
terested the scientific aviator was to find
an automatic mechanical appliance
which would maintain the stability OF the
aeroplane under any and all circum-
stances. loss of control. tPeachcrous "air
pockets" injury TO motor. etc.
The stability Of the areoplane in the
atmosphere was a very uncertain and un-
known quantity depending upon two
equilibriums. one longitudinal. the other
transverse The problem we are assured
has been definitely solved by NJ. Doutre.
whose invention was recently tried OUT
at Nillaconblay under the personal super
tor of military aercnautics for the French
army. The result was eminently satisfac-
tory. and It Is pronounced marvellous
invention.
Thus the statement announced by cable
from Paris, dated the 9Th instant. by NJ.
Vedrines. is perhaps COM
VedrlneS' prehensible. NJ. Vedrines
c&ot.~... said that he would startie
the world in a few days
with an aeroplane absolutely new, and
that ''the aeroplane would create a SEN
sation." NJ Vedrines further said that
the aeroplane would now paralyze the ac-
tion Of the greatest war fleets. and that
in case of war between France and Ger
many French aviators could destroy ports.
railways and fortresses France possesses
complete organization Of powerful war
machines commanded by a corps OF scien-
tific aviators. Germany. on the contrary.
bles. which in fact cannot be directed ex-
cept in q calm. and has no corps of avia
tors in the sense Of that possessed by
France
gress for the adoption Of laws for the
government Of the passage of aerial ways
met in Paris in the first part OF June
The congress reported several clauses OF
q proposed aerial code. but nothing def
mite has yet been accomplished. The old
maxim Of law that the right In property
extends upward indefinitely" is now to
be modified.
The Figaro contains an article Of un-
usual length as evidence Of the great
interest that attaches to the subject
The article begins by an account OF the
frightful sacrifices to obtain present re-
suits in aviation. 1t recalls first the
flight in November. 1905. which resulted
United States Army and the fracture OF
Orville Wright's leg. Since that time
less than three years-there had been
seventy y-seven victims.
The world had already begun to con-
clude that these sacrifices were not worth
the results obtained. That
Aerial the aeroplane was too un-
c.c steady and unreliable as a
war machine and would re-
main a curious experimental object. but
nothing more.
But in October. 1910. when hope in avia-
tion may be said to have died, there was
heard for the first time Of the 'stabilisa-
teur." or safety guard. which would con-
troll the machine against the errors OF
the pilot, the failure Of the motor and
atmospheric troubles-the three great
causes OF accidents.
According to the inventor. NJ Doutre.
the aeroplane may become q steady and
safe means of locomotion. 1t Is inexpen-
sive and destined to supersede in traffic
in the city or the country the ponderous
horse carts and even the automobile with
its great expense and complicated ma
chinery.
Just here there may be interpolated for
the benefit Of those interested in the his
tory of aviation a recently reported note
which appeared in the journal Ledge
vrjdagsc Courant-or Fridays Journal OF
Leyden October q. 1751) communica-
ton from The Hague OF that date an
nouncing the success Of flying machine
invented by Andero Grimaldi Volante.
This machine. 1t was stated, could make
seven miles an hour. 1t possessed clock
movement as q motor which fmpelled the
wings made Of a sheet Of horn feathers.
catgut and whalebone: each wing had
three joints. The body. which simulated
fastened by wires. There were thirty
wheels in the body composed of q certain
alliage held in equilibrium by the moder-
ated friction of an iron wheel In which
there was a powerful magnet This mar
velous machine, it was said in the afore-
mentioned note. was guided and directed
by q tail seven feet long. which was at
tached to its feet by leather bands. which
guided the machine to the right or left
The head was like that of an eagle.
During the flight Of three hours the eyes
OF the bird were In con-
Three. Hour slant motion. After the
Flight. the wings closed and the
bird descended gracefully to earth. When
the bird assembled again the inventor was
seated in the ma chine The machine flew
from Calais to Dover and thence back TO
Calais the same morning some ceie-
brated engineers were stup~fied, SAID the
account. and were jealous of the inven-
for who declared lie could construct
machine which would make thirty miles
an hour. The journal declared that the
inventors story had not been corropo-
rated. The reader wiz resre. TINS: ts. cor-
terence at The Hague In 1883 ana
1SoS interdicted aerial machines and the
throwing of projectiles. The institute OF
International law. whose high authority
has often inspired offlcial congresses
adopted resolution an% Tn,En a1fnor,aed aerial
warfare. The subject Is one OF intense
interest to jurists.
The thesis Of interdiction has been de-
Tended before the institute, OF course. M.
Holland, professor OF the University OF
oxford. demanded that the use OF aero
nIanes or airships should be prohibited ex-
cent as a means of observation. explora-
tion or communication. Air space, &C
cording to the professor. should be neu-
tralized in future wars. M. Westlake,
Ill Nj