Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1914-07-18

is strengthened, their weakness ban
| ished, wherever real progress shown,
but it is only by actual tests and COM
parison that these strong and weak
points are determined, and the Amer
lea" has never been given even half
hearted real tryout.
The so-called tests that are being an
nounced from Lake Keuka are merely
experiments that tell nothing. They
should be continued through a period
of at least a year. True enough, the
machine has lifted itself from the wa
ter and has fiown-but for how long?
Does anyone think that LEAP through
the air lasting a few minutes proves
efficiency for a transatlantic flight?
Right here in the United States we
have the great lakes. One can very
easily get out of sight of lal,l in cross
ing them. Wouldn't it be gss part of
wisdom to try the America" out in
a long, continuous fight over the great
lakes, or even over the 80 miles long
lake Keuka, putting it through a test
of at least one half the time and mile
age and severity required for the real
journey.
One does not have to confine him.
self to matters of air to form a conclus-
ion regarding durability. Take auto
mobiles, instead. For two years our
leading automobile builders have failed
to produce a car for the Indianapolis
500 mile race capable of going the en-
tire distance in close competition with
foreigners. The home product gives
evidence of speed and durability for
a while, but a stop at the pits, or even
a slight repair, is always sooner or
later necessary. And a stop at the pits
in a motor race is vastly different from
a drop into the ocean a thousand miles
from land. There are no pits" in mid
Atlantic.
But when machine is built in
hurry, from paper specifications and
figures that seem to prove every point,
there is only one answer-the burning
out of some vital part-for that is
what always happens at Indianapolis.
For instance. theoretically develop
ed on paper and in the machine shops
Bob Burman's racer seemed perfect
two different years. But there is moth
ing sure but death and taxes, and "a
practical tryout is the only test that
anything, be it man, automobile or
aeroplane. Burman's machines, per-
feet on paper, proved this. And Bur
man had back of his efforts a great
practical experience gained in years of
real endeavor. Is the pilot of the
America" equipped half as well for
his task as was Burman, the real ex-
pert who failed?
What If this transatlantic Amer
lea has great sustaining power?
What if it is able to lift from Lake
Keuka. All of that enormous plane
ing surface will avail nothing in
waves even five feet high, and what
sane optimist can even imagine the
America" going the2 entire distance
without a single stop, without alight-
ing once in the midst of great mid
ocean swells?
On my own longest fight of three
hours the mental strain was terrific. |
What will it be for the man at the |
wheel when hour after hour is reeled |
off, when a mans eyeballs are burning |
and aching in spite of serviceable cog
giles, when every muscle is strained to |
the breaking point?
/ believe that there will be tragedy |
or fiasco. I fear that aviation in the |
United States will receive body blow.
In the "Amreica" there should be at |
least two seasoned, hardy aviators-j
and the America" should be a sea-
soned. hardy machine itself. 1t should
be thoroughly tried out, and be able
to "go like H" There should be
auxiliary power, so the America"
would go, go, co.
This is my honest opinion If l am
wrong, / will rejoice with Lieutenant
Porte and his companions. But the
well wishers of aviation-those who
even pray for its success-must not
place more than a blind faith in the
attempt. They must be ready any day
for an announcement that the entire
scheme has been abandoned The
"alfbf' in the daily news concerning
the America" is ever present to ayia
tons initiated.
When will the ocean be crossed?
Perhaps in 1915 or '16. Europeans
have not been as hasty as Americans
Noted foreign designers are at work
On transatlantic aeropiane. Thew
build and destroy. build and DESTROY
but each building and each destruction
means progress. With the eyoIution
d the craft Is coming an evolution of
ne aViators, training themselves by
nights ever increasing in distance and
igor and hardship. But both man and
nacnine are being perfected by months
mo months OF progressive destruc-
ION When the intelligent prepara-
ION Is completed then-and not until
hen-may We expect the Atlantic to