The Press., 1914-02-11
WH|MS OF THE AIR.
Curious and Rapid Changes In
 the Velocity Of. the Wind. y
HOLES IN THE ATMOSPHERE.

These Danger Spots, From the, Avia-
 tors' Viewpoint, Are Born of the. AL
 most Instantaneous Variations In the
 Force of the Aerial Currents.
 -.s. x .1-
 Since man has provided himself with wings he has learned more astonishing things about the air than were dream ed of in his old philosophy He has had to learn them in order to make travelling safe on his new aerial high way. The wind was almost a complete mystery until aeronauts began to make close acquaintance with it's strange moods and va2aries. The startling ex- periences of aViatorS have stimulated the anemometrists-i. e., the wind measurers-to fresh Investigations, which have had surprising results. '' 1a I
 Consider, for instance, these things which have been found out by the Aerotechnic institute of the University. of Paris:
 If two anemometers Cwii1d 1heasllr- ers) are placed side by side about sev- enty-two feet above the ground when wind of from thirty y-three' to 'fottyas eight feet per second is blowing the most remarkable differences i'll the; yEe- locity of the wind are observed. If the anemometers are only ter, inches apart both usually show nearly the same wind velocity, but if the distance be tween them is increased to about thir- ty-two inches one will sometimes show a wind velocity of ten feet per second more; rapid than that shown by the other But this difference lasts only for an instant. If the distance be tween the anemometers is increased to twenty-three or twenty-fOur feet, the usual length of an aeroplane, the diff ferences in the velocity of the wind shown by tlIem are Occasionally endr- nous, but of very brief duration. ~Tl1fs must clearly produce a. facking- effect upon an. aerOplane; which may be; dis4 astrOus, for one end of it may. f0if sa, second or so experience aa4 resistance double that felt at the other end. ,..t
 But this is by no means all, Not only, does the wind vary in this capriciots fashion at places few feet or a few yards apart, but it varies with equa1 violence and suddenness at the same point, as is proved by fixing a single anemometer at d height of seventy five or eighty feet above the ground and observing the successive changes in its indications of velocity Thus it has been found that wind whoseyavs5 craze velocity was about thiFty-eight, feet per second maintained that Xe- locity for as much as ten successive seconds and then in second and a half dropped to less than fourteen feet per second, which it maintained during two seconds. after which in the course of half second it sprang up to a we locity of fifty feet per second! It main tained the last mentioned velocity for only single second. .s.~.. ...
 In another case the velocity Of the wind rose in three-quarters of a-secend from twcnty-six and one quarter feet to fifty seven and one-half feetPers sec, ond. ..''~,- ..... -:-.sf.ss:4T ,:4| 4, !.
 Considering these facts, 1t is no won der that aviators meet with strange accidents by running into sWhats4heE call "hOles in the air." for the snsta iEtS ing force of the air on account of the- sudden variations of the wind, may almost instantly lose half it's value and then with equal suddenness recover, Ors more than recover, it's former tpoweFt Such things enable any one estos under9 stand the peculiar perils that the aYiaz. tor has to face. Even ordinary. mortalS know that the wind is capr1cfous, but to the navigator of the air it becomes sometimes very demon, or q 1egfo1T of demons, whose eccentric gambolfhgs are as uncomfortable as they are suneXsi pected. . ,... ;.........,.s.t- ..ss.. .ssgsa,
 It took thousands, of years for sea men to learn how to face with -un: flinching hearts the vagaries of the ocean waves and currents and for shipbuilders to devise vessels ;ssthati could defy them, but it. seems likely that we in a few decades shalL:havel. mastered the caprices of the atmOs- phere and have produced airships that will safely ride the widest wind.
 It is the advance of science that has given us the great: advantage which we: possess over our predecessors in oyer !: coming natures - obstacless but in, increase of knowledge would not have served us if there had been decfeaseo of courage. That there has been mo such decrease is proved every day by the daring featss of aviators.- .--Garrett P. Serviss. in New York Jaurnaf11;; ssSa