Evening star., 1934-11-04

In fact. q whole population Of air
sailors has grown up to manage these
ships. never dreamed Of by our an
cestors.
THE speed Of these aerial vessels Is,
as you know, very great-36 hours
suf1ces to pass from New York to
London in ordinary weather. The loss
OF life has been less than on the old
fashioned steamships, for, as those
which go East move at q greater eleva-
ton than those going West, there is
no danger Of collisions, and they
usually fly above the fogs, which add
so much to the dangers Of sea travel.
"In case of hurricanes they rise at
once to the higher levels, above the
storm, and, with our increased
scientific knowledge, the coming Of q
cyclone is known for many days in
advance, and even the stratum of air
in which it will move can be fore
told. -
1888 Television.
But as I found myself growing
hungry I descended to the dining roomi
-" Sat down at a table to which
I was marshalled by grave and rev.
erend seignior in an imposing uni
form. AS took my seat my weight
set some machinery in motion. A few
feet in front of me suddenly rose out
of the table large upright mirror. or
such I took it to be; but instantly
there appeared on its surface grand
bill of fare, each article being num-
bered =
It was perplexed, and, turning to
the great man who stood near me,
began to name few of the articles /
wanted. He smiled complacently at
my country ignorance, and called my
attention to the fact that the table
Immediately before me contained hun
dreds Of little knobs or buttons, each
one numbered; and he told me that
these were connected by electric wires
with the kitchen of the hotel, and il
I would observe the numbers attached
to any articles in the bill of fare which
desired, and vould touch the cor
responding numbers of the knobs be-
fore me, my dinner would be ordered
on a similar mirror in the kitchen, and
speedily served. I did as he directed.
In a little while an electric bell near
me rang; the bill of fare disappeared
from the mirror '''
News From the World.
"I commenced to eat and immedi-
ately the same bell, which had an
nounced the disappearance of the bill
of fare, rang again. I looked up and
the mirror now contained the name
of every state in the republic, from
JYYIe ,se To ho let nf
and the names of all the nations OF
the world. each name being numbered.
My attendent, perceiving my per-
plexity. called my attention to the
fact that the sides of the table which
had brought up my dinner contained
another set of electric buttons, cor
responding with the numbers on the
mirror; and he explained to me that
if would select any state or country
and touch the corresponding button
the news of the day. from that State
or country, would appear in the mir
ror.
He called my attention to the fact
that every guest in the room had in
front Of him a similar mirror, and
many of them were reading the news
of the day as they ate.
Il touched the knob corresponding
with the name of the new state Of
Uganda, in Africa, and Immediately
there appeared in the mirror all the
doings of the people Of that state
its crimes. its accidents, its business,
the output of its mines, the markets,
the savings and doings of its promi-
nent men; in fact, the whole life Of
the community was unrolled before
me like a panorama.
Il then touched the button for
another African state, NyanZa; and
at once began to read of new lines
Of railroad; new steamship fleets upon
the great lake: Of large colonies of
white men, settling new states, upon
the higher lands Of the interior: Of
their colleges, books, newspapers"
Mr.. Donnelly aimed his prophecies
high, but it is not possible that the
worlds inventive mind will far out
strip his vision? And that some Of
his predictions, fanciful in the 1906,
will be realities by-shau we say
1850?