HERE AND THERE.

Otago Witness, Issue 3031, 17 April 1912, Page 85

HERE AND THERE.

—Atlantic Flight.— Crossing the Atlantic by balloon, dirigible or otherwise, is an old notion.. Actually flying the Atlantic by aeroplane has also been talked about 3 but the general idea has been to have a kind of hydroaeroplane which will come down at certain stated points to pick up petrol and oil from ships in waiting. It sounds a big job, but I believe it can be done, assures Mr Charles G. Gray, the editor of The Aeroplane. In the first place, the French pilot Helen has flown, on a Nieuport monoplane, 780 miles in 14 hours, this including three stops. Also he was flying over an out-and-home course on a windy day, which meant going sJow one way, and though he came back fast his average spued was slower than if he had no wind at all. On a straightaway course he would be faster still. Even as it was, his speed works out at just 56 miles an hour. Those stops were simply to pick up fresh fuel, and were no real rest for the pilot, who could have gone through without stopping. Further, we know that Fourny, another French pilot, on a Maurice Farman biplane, has flown 440 miley without a .stop in 11 hours. His machine was a big, slow affair, and he flew around a rather circular course, losing ground at the corners. Further still, wf> know that last year a Green aero engine ran under a "full load test lor 24 hours without stopping. Very well, then. So much for what we have got to do. Roughly, starting from the west coast of Ireland, the nearest point of the American continent is about 2500 miles away, and if the pilot manag?s to miss the nearest point he is pretty well bound to hit the broadside of America somewhere inside 3000 miles. But let us assume that he has a good knowledge of navigation, and gets it in 2500 miles. What sort of machine does he want, and what are his chances of getting through ? In the first place, he has got to do just over three times the distance Helen did, so on the face of it he would have to fly about 45 hours and do it without coming down for fuel. But there is one important thing to remember. The same machine that Helen used, if fitted with a bigger engine, can do 80 miles an hour in calm air. Consequently, given two days of calm, it sliould be possible to do the journey in 52 hours at most. Better still, if' the aviator had the luck to find a steady easterly wind of 10 miles an hour with him, his speed would go up to 90 miles

an hour, and he would do the journey in 28 hours. Now, one man in perfect training could keep going for 30 hours at a stretch, so if two pilots took the job on and drove in spells of, say, - four hours each —i.e., four spells of driving apiece—there should be no difficulty about the human element, for with properly arranged seats one could sleep quite comfortably while the other was driving, and there is no difficulty at all in fitting two sets of control gear, so that they can take charge in turn without having to leave their seats. —The Inhabitants of Mars.— The Paris correspondent of the Standard draws attention to a small drawing of a curious misshapen person given by the Matin as an approximate representation of one of the inhabitants of Mars. The drawing is not due to an unbridled fantastic imagination. The representation of this misshapen figure is given on some scientific basis. It concords with what one of the first scientists of France in the domain of biology really believes to be characteristic of the typical inhabitant of Mars. M. Edmond Perrier, ci the French Natural History Museum, was induced to consider what the inhabitants of Mars may be, or probably are, by a casual remark made by M. Camille Flammarion, the astronomer. In Mars M. Perrier thinks life is of an intensity such as the world does not yet know of. The average temperature is about 42deg Falir. instead of 75deg Fahr. on the earth, but, he adds, considerable differences in temperature and changes of season produce a huge development in plants and living things. "The yiear on the planet Mars," he says, "lasts twice as long as the year on our earth, and consequentlv plants and insects have twice the time iri which to evolve —consequently long grass, huge fruit, and in stinct so much more perfect as the length of existence develops the intelligence. Birds have a luxuriant plumage, are large in size, and brightly coloured, and have reached a perfection of form unknown to us. Mars is the land of huge plants and ideal flowers, of birds abnormally powerful in song and wondrous appearance, and of four-footed animals with extraordina-rily-developed fur and skin. The animals are light m weight, slimly built, swift of foot, and bears have an appearance not unlike that of greyhounds." —Ancient Vineyards.—

In the course of an interesting article in Home "Words, headed "Fruits from the Holy Land," by A. C. Inchbold, the writer tells us that: —Quantities of raisins come from the vines of Hebron (the city of Abraham), where some of the finest vineyards in the Holy Land are laid out on the slopes of the valley. We axe not surprised at this when we remember that it was from this district that the spies brought back to the Hebrew camp a cluster of grapes so large and heavy that they had to carry it between "two on a staff. In some vineyards the vine stocks, sturdy as trees, are spaced like fruit trees in an orchard, and the branches, supported overhead on trellis poles, form in this way immense arbours. These afford a welcome shelter from the hot rays of the Svrian sun, and a retreat by night. For at the season of vintage whole families come out from the towns and villages, and camp in the vineyards to gather and protect their grapes. Little box-shaped houses of stone are often built in fhe orchards and vineyards, and these are called by the owners their summer-houses. They serve as a store-place for the raisins, too, and the implements used for the work. Every vineyard has a shelter or outlook, either of stone or foliage, for a man Is always on watch to see that no thief or animal does harm to the vines and fruit. Such men are the "keepers of the vineyard," and their shelters are called "watch towers" to this day. Traces of ancient vineyards with their terraces worked out on the hillside are visible everywhere, and the solid wine cellars of rock for holding tine wine which was once trodden out of the grapes by the feet in the press above (1 Chron., xxvii, 7). Many are de»erted and empty, but others are used as store places for grain and other produce, and also as cisterns during the rainy season. —Oil-driven. Battleships.— The two battleships Texas and New York which have recently been laid down for the United States navy, will be unique vessels of their Bize and power, in that they will be driven bv means of oil, and no coal will be carried. Unlike most of the new men-of-war of other fleets, these ships will not be fitted with turbines, but will have reciprocating engines of a new type, which, it is calculated, are about 30 per cent, more economical at cruising speeds than turbines, and cost about the same to run at high speed. The engineering department of the United States navy expresses itself highlv pleased with the results which have been obtained during a long series of trials. The machinery designed for these two battleships marie, H is claimed, a distinct adrsnoe. crtr any previtMK aaitefatwry in Amelia* «t m&f other oae&ry. A* cMMtaMS tie new Unitei fftM*» battleship Delaware, of equal ptmer, te"he machiaatnr iwstgtrts in t/he boiler compartments have been reduced by 300 tons, or about 30 per cent. The lmfcth of the 6pace required for boilers has been reduced bv one-half, and the fireroom force is one-half that required for the Delaware. The tactical qualities of the vessels have been improved by diverging the shafts from aft forward, this being made possible through a radical change in the arrangement of engine-room auxiliaries. Each main engine will be fitted with two condensers, instead of one, as heretofore, and provision is made for running on one condenser. By reducing the weights in the boiler rooms it has been possible to greatly increase the armour protection of these battleships, and the boilers will be grouped under one thus clearing the upper deck and improving the arc or train Of the turrets. It is thus evident that the new vessels, with only one funnel, will be remarkable additions to the American fleet. Moreover, each ship will mount ten 14in guns—throwing a shell of 14001 b 20

sin quickfirers. The former will be placed ! in five elliptical turrets on the centre line, so as to enable them all to be trained on either broadside, -while ahead pjr astern four guns will bear. These vessels, owing ■ to the economy of weight in the enginerooms, will be well protected by armour, behind which the Sin guns will fee carried. < —Educating a King.— ! "After all there can be no doubt that the proper study for a constitutional king is men of affairs," says the Spectator, i apropos of tlxe Prince of Wales going to j Oxford. "The King is bound by law and I custom to act on the advice of his Ministers, and he automatically accepts their advice as long as they are his Ministers. But beyond this there are for an English King large fields of conduct where he can pick and choose, and again, at special moments, there arise occasions where <a king is, so to speak, besieged with advice and must walk the razor-edge of conduct' with a tumult of incitements to do foolish or dangerous things, or to move or keep I still, shouted at him from the crowds on either side. In the greatest of books he may find guidance as to advisers which in the letter, and still more in the spirit, he may follow :—*Be continually with a*godly man, whom thou knowest to keep the commandments of the Lord, whose mind is according to thy mind, and will sorrow with thee, if thou shalt miscarry. And let the counsel of thine own heart stand ; for there is no man more faithful unto thee than it. For a man's mind is sometimes wont to tell him more than seven j watchmen, that sit above in an high tower.' Could there be wiser and more practical advice than this tendered by the wise author of Eoclesiasticus ?" asks the Spectator. "In the final sentence stands the essential lesson for all men. In the last resort no man will find that he is ever established or betrayed except by himself. When all is said and iJone the counsel of a man's own heart mnst stand. There is no other way. Therefore it behoves him to strengthen his mind and his character, and to open as wide a window for his soul to look out on human life. If this is true , and of import to every individual, however j humble, how much more important to him I j who will some day hold the welfare of his country in trust! i I —The City of Panama.— ' ! The site chosen for the Panama Canal j Is not the only possible one; nor is it the j shortest. The" problem—for it was a pro- | blem—was not such a simple one as to ] find the region of closest approach of the ; two oceans and then cut a ditch connectj ing them. This was the case at Suez, j j The great ridge which extends from J Alaska southward, and which in the l United States is known as the llocky j I Mountains. Highland, i 6 really continuous j with the immense pile of rocks called the Andes Mountains. No doubt the same group of elemental geologic causes has produced the whole mountain chain, extending from the Arctic Ocean in the north to I the vicinity of the Antarctic Ocean in the i south. At the Isthmus it is bv no | means a noble mountain range. Still it . is a formidable barrier to canal construc- | tion. When Balboa crossed the Isthmus in 1513 and became the first European certainly known to have laid eyes upon the , Great Pacific, he followed one of the ' shortest routes. This, however, is not I the one chosen for the canal. The water- ] way follows pretty closely the route taken ! by Morgan when he Jed his piiatical crew . ! upon . the old city of Panama. This was [ more than two centuries ago. Even then j the city was a considerable one, and was I the port through which a fine commerce in ! gold, silver, 'pearls, etc., passed ton its ! way to Europe. The city was pillaged , | ana burnt. In the rebuilding which fol- | j lowed, because of its logical situation at , i the gateway between the Old and the New | Worlds, a somewhat different site was j chosen. The new city arose upon a coral j formation which juts out in the Gulf of I ! Panama. At a cost x>f much treasure great J j walls were constructed, and a moat prof

vided. The ruin of the days of Morgan has never revisited the new city. The canal follow* bias route, however, and terminates on the Pacific side near the sites of the old and the new cities of Panama. From shore to shore the canal will be 40 miles in length. But a vessel will have a passage 10 miles longer fiom deep water to detp water. —From an illustrated article by J. F. Springer, in Cassier's Magazine. —Labour Cost of Coal. — Averaged over the five years 1906-10 the pit-mouth value of coal has been within a fraction of 100 pence, or 8s 4d per ton (suys a writer in the Mail). In other words, 8s 4d is the value of the product of one man's labour for one day. But it mast be observed that the miner could not raise this 100 pennyworth of coal without the assistance of capital, and the machinery, plant, equipment, horses, and materials supplied by capital. How many of these 100 pennies are taken by labour, and how many by capital '! We shall, we claim, be within the mark if we put the wr«r*ge wage at either 30s per week, or at 6s per day, five days a week. Allowing for fractions, this works out at TO pence, or 5s lOd per ton for wages »loa*. If we »dd to this considerations Um fm* «**l and lit* houses, we may fairly pot the labour cost of a ton of British coal at a square 6s. This absorbs 72 of tho 100 pence for the ton, leavnig 28 pence, or 2s 4d per ton, to pay rente, royalties, and wayleaves; cost of proving, sinking, plant, and equipment; cosU of timber and horees, rates and taxes, management and commissions, and dividend on capital all told. i—World's Newest Republic.— Though the young Emperor of China has abdicated his position aa political head of the Celestial Lmpiie, ho is to remain its "spiritual" monarch and receive the substatial annuity of £400,000 a year. Furthermore, ho Is to continue to reside in the Summer Palace at Peking, and have a powerful bodyguard. Thus the most venerable nation on earth, which was making history 2000 years before the Christian era, has amazed the world by almost suddenly becoming a republic. When a

Chinese dynasty comes to an end, and not till then, ate records are published, and so if precedents are adhered to we may look forward to having the autobiography of the Manchu dynasty. '"Uneasy lies' the head that wears a crown," but the Chinese ' Emperor, having been relieved of his, will doubtless enjoy iris slumbers all the more. 1 1 think he ought to be fairly satisfied with 1 a retiring pension nearly equal to the annuities enjoyed by our own Royal Family. —Chinese Suffragettes.— The Suffragists of China, outdoing their Western sisters, are desirous of asserting their military valour. -At Shanghai the Chinese girls at the Chang Yu school wrote to the leader of the- Republican forces offering their aid as soldiers'. "Heaven has given woman the same rights as man," the letter says. "Soon the Manchus will be chased out of China, but till now no regiment of women has been formed. We wish to take a share with the men of China in crushing out enemies. The needle does not suffice for us. We ask for arms." The warlike ambitions of the schoolgirls (says the Mail) were considerably damped, however, by the Republican leader, who simply replied that if they were needed their services would be called for. —Largest Oil-tank Ship.— The largest oil-tank ship ever built, to be driven by internal combustion motors, is to be constructed by the Krupps for the German-American Petroleum Company. The vessel according, to Popular Mechanics, will have a length of 525 ft, a breadth of 66|ft, a depth of 41ft, and will have a loading capacity of 15,000 tons. She will be driven by two six-cylinder 1750 h.p. Krupp-Diesel engines, which will give her an ocean speed of about 10 mites .in hour. Two-thirds of the length of the vessel will be occupied by the tanks, which will be divided by transverse bulkheads into 11 compartments, which, in their ■ turn, are separated into 22 tanks, parti- | tions being made by a longitudinal bulkhead extending over the whole length. —"The Dandy Horse."— Reference is made in the March Connoisseur to the ancestor of the bicycle. In the early years of the nineteenth century Baron voii Drais introduced to England from France a kind of hobby-horse, which in some dictionaries is called a velocipede. It appears to have been soon adopted by the dandies of the day, and so probably obtained the name of "Dandy horse." ft consisted of two strong wooden wheels with iron tyres on a frame on. which a "perch" was formed, a curved handle bringing the steering gear under the rider's control; the saddle could be raised or lowered at pleasure. The rider sat astride, and this saddle was so adjusted that the tips of his toes just touched the ground, the arms resting on the. "perch. ' A few lessons and a little practice brought the rider to perfection, and enabled him to obtain a sneed of seven to eight miles an hour. —The Sparrow and the Post Office. — Many sins have been laid to the change of the sparrow, but one does not usually think of him as a menace to the efficiency of the postal service. In Kentucky, however, the mail clerks are finding it necessary to guard against his depredations. Some pouches thrown off a train happened to lie for a while in a shed before being despatched on the next stage of their journey, and when they were, nicked up they were found to be "perforated in scores of places. They had contained packagjcs of seeds franked by Congressmen to then: constituents, according to the peculiar privileepe enjoyed by members of the American Legislature at the expense of the Department of Agriculture and the Post Office. Hungry sparrows, with an appetite sharpened by the cold weather, had flocked +o the mail bags, and, after pecking, therr wav through, had devoured every "grain in hundreds of packages.