Viewing page 265 of 404
This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.
Wood a large flying machine will be constructed at Sparrow's Point under the direction of the two inventors. The models which have thus far occupied the attention of Prof. Wood do not resemble the popular idea of the flying machine at all, and appear to be nothing but a set of electric fans with a few weights hooked to them. The models are, indeed, only a series of two, four and six-bladed screw propellers, supplied with motive power by a tiny motor and attached to an arrangement whereby the lifting power can be tested. Standard Troy N.Y. 13 April 1907 A SUCCESSFUL BALLOON VOYAGE London, April 13. -- For the first time an invasion of England by an airship from Germany was accomplished yesterday, when two German aeronauts, Dr. Yurt Wegener, a member of the German Aero club, and Herr Adolf Koch of Frankfort descended at Leicester, after having accomplished a voyage remarkable not only as being the first of its kind but for speed as well. Dr. Koch is a meteorologist in the service of the German government, and has made many ascents. This voyage was undertaken mainly for the purpose of making scientific operations. The start was made from Bitterfeld, near Berlin, at 8.15 Wednesday evening. The coast of England was reached at noon of the following day, so that, roughly speaking, the balloon covered in 16 hours what ordinary methods of transportation would have required at least 20 hours to do. The 600 miles from Bitterfeld to Leicester was done in 20 hours. "Our balloon is of the ordinary type, with a capacity of 1,400 cubic metres," Dr. Wegener said when he reached London yesterday. "It was inflated with hydrogen gas. When we first ascended the wind was east southeast. Later it changed to east. We maintained an elevation of 2,000 feet, though in crossing the Harz mountains we went higher. The balloon moved more swiftly nearer the earth." "Passing over Holland we could make out the boats in the canals, and in some places we were observed and greeted with shouts. We reached the shore of the Zuyder Zee at 5.20 o'clock in the morning and crossed to Texal Island, which we left at 6.15 o'clock. When we started we had expected to come down in France, but when we reached the coast we knew there was no danger as long as the wind held its direction. We had no anchor, only a 100 metre guide rope. "Weather had been fine during the night, but as we started seaward a heavy mist below us hid the sea from view. The first point on the English shore we made out must have been Cromer. Anyhow, we reached that part of the coast at 15 minutes past 12 o'clock and passed along the edge London Baden-Powell Says That Aerial Navigation Is Assured Washington, April 13 -- A great deal of interest has been aroused by the announcement that C. M. Manley, the engineer who did the mechanical designing of "The Buzzard," the late Prof. Langley's great airship, is expected to give the machine another trial. This announcement has been made in print as a recent utterance of Mr. Manley's, but as a matter of fact, it is declared, his purpose has been understood among scientific people for several months. At a meeting of the American Academy of Sciences last December there was a paper read by Alexander Graham Bell on his work up in Nova Scotia with the tetrahedral kite. It was a general contribution to the subject of aerial locomotion, as well. Mr. Manley was present at the meeting, and in the discussion that followed Dr. Bell's paper he said it was the general belief that the aerial experiments of the Smithsonian Institution had been dropped. This, he said, was not correct; that they had been merely suspended; and he hoped in the not very distant future to take out the airship and give it another trial. The announcement attracted no attention at the time, but it finally reached a magazine, where Mr. Manley's words were quoted, and thence to the newspapers, where it was exploited as a move to take the airship out and give it a fresh trial. As a matter of fact, the friends of Professor Langley, including Professor Bell, who saw all of the important trials of the small model fliers and the big machine, say the big aerodrome has never yet been really tried. That is to say, it has never been turned loose in the air with a fair start. On both occasions when an attempt was made to launch it some part of the machinery caught on the launching ways, it is declared, and the airship was upset before it ever got free and in the air. On the last occasion the obstruction consisted of two little pieces of triangular iron that had been overlooked in clearing the guides for the release. Professor Bell said in the paper referred to that the question of aerial navigation had advanced to a point where it was assured fact and within a decade would be as common as automobiling. The situation with the big airship in the Smithsonian is rather complicated. The War Department has some rights in it, having furnished the officers and had the supervision of some of the expenditures connected with it. The machine is the property of the Smithsonian Institution in point of possession and from the fact that it was made by Professor Langley, the former secretary. The Government, not being much in touch with the subject of aerial navigation, has little faith in the machine, it is stated, and it is regarded as a certainty that there will not be another dollar appropriated for experiments. Many scientists, on the other hand, are convinced that the machine is all right. Mr. Manley, as stated, is the engineer who built the airship. When the subject of a lightweight engine was under discussion Professor Langley went personally to the most expert engine builders in this country and in Europe and tried to get an engine built on the general lines he had laid down. None of them would undertake the contract, and the result was that Mr. Manley, then a young man in Professor Langley's employ, did the work himself and produced a 52 horse-power engine at considerably less than five pounds weight per horse-power. Manley stipulated but one thing, and that was that he should have the honor of navigating the machine on her first trial. This was granted him, and now he wants to take another try at it. "The situation is this," said Mr. Manley; "I am exceedingly busy, but at the first opportunity I shall resume that work. Sufficient funds have been assured for further work, and this time the machine will fly. The framework and other parts are intact, and the only work which will have to be done is to provide the aeroplane with new supporting surfaces. This will take very little time or money. The machine as it stands today can be made ready for flight in two or three days. It is the joint property of the War Department and the Smithsonian Institution, but the War Department has turned the full control of it over to the institute." Aeroplane Exhibit in London 75 Different Models are Submitted Aero Club's Exposition Seventy-five different methods of navigating the air by means of aeroplanes were illustrated in miniature at the first exhibition of airship models held by the Aero Club of Great Britain and Ireland, held in London last week. Of the whole number, to the layman's mind, less than a dozen present the slightest degree of practicability. In those, for the most part, practically the same principles are employed as have been made use of by the Wright brothers and M. Santos-Dumont, the difference being generally the method of steering. Adjoining this exhibition is another devoted to balloons. Here are shown three balloon cars belonging to Hon. C. S. Rolls, one of which, the Britannia, was third in the recent race for the International Cup. Another midget is the smallest Japanese silk balloon in Great Britain. The third is a touring car which carries ten passengers. Hon. Mrs. Harboard is showing her balloon, and Professor Huntington, who was one of the competitors in the recent international race, is among the exhibitors. Two of the best known exhibitors are Major A. F. Baden-Powell and Major R. F. Moore, the former showing three models -- the first of a vertical screw type, the sec- M Major Bad chine Major B. an address is Royal Meteo ploration of now at the might prove balloons, kit the balloon, cumbrous a capable of Recently gre the improve might be dri Twenty-five ment made now they po seem to be war. Meteo much improv ments lifted had actually miles, while regularly int vice. Men w in 1895, in w made a num dred feet h gradually fo actually gone sand feet, an the reach of render the a flying machine to stay. Hu with very li last two or been success but they had selves in the Very little r could be said quered to a Professor To Be Rais The prepa flying machine fessor Rober perimental p University, w engineer, ar the work of Professor W these experim tory for seve the experime ing power an screw propel sion and prop results obtai large flying at Sparrows the two inve upon which Luytics [[?]] are "helicopter." the balloon t known as the airships, now all who are tion Their m plane, howev tionary suppo quired in the In the part are now work 900 pounds ar horse-power a This high hor for a few min duce to forty the high grade be lifted by t movement whe by what is kn its revolving will be at leas will consist of with a light b aeroplane, it c still keep its plane must de motive power in speaking fo made the follo "The helicop veritcally like the upward th Once aloft, late in a variety of lifting screws feet at the be though it may The engine, bo weigh about 1 machine about calculations in to raise its ow an operator." Morse renewed the negotiation that a price be named, it can be upon the highest authority that the slightest ground for the r ale and coming transfer of th and Navigation Company prope n fact, it is stated, the situat he reverse. The fresh reports he sale have undoubtedly arisen which have just been taken to New England Navigation in hose of the New York, New Hartford Railroad Company. aries to this merger in the fo ummaries and reports were of ead to the false rumor. This merger with the New H ion of the New England Navi any interests in formal offici hape is a part of the plan Mellen for consolidating not onl nterests of the steam corporat he electric interests in the str under one management. In this pects to secure greater econom ciency of administration in the York, New Haven & Hartford It is probable that the next mportant and extensive consoli various properites of the New pany will be the merger of the the Consolidated Railway which ey holding company of the st ion in Connecticut and that la he formal merger of all the s properties in Rhode Island also re now sub-divided among se companies and will require egal disentanglement. As the merger of the New E ation Company with the steam inds it more tightly to the latt more closely the interests of anies, the effect is to make an New England navigation Com
