The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-12-16

was asked by the New York Worlu
what dream of the future he was Duliu-
ing as a result of the remarkable de-
veIopment of the aerOplane by the
war in Europe. With smile Mr.. Cur
tiss replied:
1--WE left off dreaming. Visions OIL
the future are in the repair shops get
ing new motors; the old couldn't keep
ND with the pace that plain facts are
setting these days. No, we don't dream
now; we draw deductions.
So the question was altered TO-
well. what are your deductions as TO
the future?"
Recall the facts returned MI.
Curtiss, land you can make your own
deductions. What are we seeing! IN
the greater part of Europe today the
aeroplane and the seaplane, as they
call the airboat over there, are play
ing a large part, very large part, IN
what is now the daily life Of those
sections of the earth. 1t is not the lie
of the times of peace, grant you, put
the difference is such that it is really
greatly in favor of the future when
you ask whether aircraft will remain
part of the daily life in Europe after
the war.
Common as Ships.
I'm not going to say that we shall
see aeroplanes as common as auto
mobiles on Fifth avenue and Broad
way. But they have undoubtedly won
their place. Their use in war mas
proved their utility in peace. AS 10
seaplanes and airboats, am confident
that they will very soon be as COM
mon a sight as ships and motor boats
are today.
odd as the idea may seem at the
moment, the war will certainly result
in knitting the peoples of the world
more closely together. The wireless
telephone will come apparently imme-
iiately peace is established, and that
will emphasize the ever increasing
feeling for closer relations and the
demand for speed in transportation
which is a necessary consequence.
The seaplane will become an absolute.
necessity. Its development may, per-.
haps, be practically without limit.
? "As a beginning someone will cross.
the Atlantic in an airboat the first
fine day that the world is again free
to take interest in that side of the
development of flying. This could be
done any day now. Craft are already
in existence which could cross the At
lantic in a single nonstop flight.
The Feat Historic.
Whoever is first to fly across the
Atlantic will certainly still accomplish
a feat that will be historic. But the
fight will not now be freak per-
acrmance which might not be repeated
sn years. So much is such flight
now within the range of daily expert
once that the man who first does 1t
may not improbably, after brief rest,
3urn round and fly back.
Il do not think 1 am giving away a
secret when / say that Rodman Wan
amaker, for whom l built the America
to fly across the ocean last year, is
etill as keenly interested as ever in
the transatlantic flight. When, after
the war had broken out and Lieuten-
ant Porte, who was to have made the
attempt at the transocean air trip, was
called back to service in England, Mr..
Wanamaker was induced to sell the
America back to me, it was with the
understanding that l would build him
another plane to fly the Atlantic, and
that will be done at the first possible
,ploment,
Next time-and we are hoping it
will be next year-we shall, l think,
Start the flight actually from New
York city. That in itself will show
YOU something Of the development to
date. The first leg of the flight will be
to St. Johns, Newfoundland, and the
next to the Azores. The two stops
will be more to meet the possible
needs of the aviator than the necessA
ties of the machine.
Before, we were working expert
mentally and in doubt and darkness.
Now we can work and speak with
confidence. The second transatlantic
tulSul utte, 4 Gil pAStty SNANs NO'NA liz
ocean in all probability without a
stop. It will all depend on the man at
the wheel. The machine will easily
carry all the supplies necessary for
a nonstop flight of that distance to-
gether with an allowance as margin
for possible exigencies. Do you won
der that have left off dreaming?
Plan Trial Flights.
ITO give the aviators the necessary
experience in ocean flying we purpose
locating the machine here in New
York city and making flights along
the coast and to sea-at least, such
are our present plans. When a man
can do, say about $50 miles at the
wheel in one spell, the transatlantic
flight will present little further diff
Guilty to him.
And then afterward?" put in the
questioner.
The next deduction should not be
hard" replied Mr.. Curtiss, and then
stopped.
"A regular transatlantic air service
New York to London in &c hours?'
was suggested.
Il told you ] was doing nothing in
the way of Visions" returned Mr.. Cur