AIRSHIPS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13674, 17 August 1908, Page 6

AIRSHIPS.

SUCCESSFUL TRIAL AT ALDERSHOT Press Association-By Telegraph-Copyright LONDON, August 15. Colonel Capper, commandant of the Balloon School at Aldershot, made a. flight lasting 23 minutes at Aldershot in a new military dirigible airship. /. He attained a height of 1000 feet,. and demonstrated his control of the machine by making it describe the figure eight. 1 A GERMAN SHir. BERLIN,-August 15.; 'SMajor Parseval's airship .flew rouud Berliri in 2 hours 40 minutes.' : PRAISE FOR THE AMERICANS.' ! PARIS, August .15. : M. de la Grange, tie French aeroplane inventor, after witnessing Wright Bros.' experiments, admits that he- was literally disconcerted by irii the American machine accomplished. xiesays it is far safer and lighter than the- French machine. THE WRIGHT AEROPLANE. (By CAPTAIN H. J. CONINGHAM.) The eyes of the whole- aeronautical 'world have been focussed on the lonely Carolina shore where . the Wright aeroplane, which has been surrounded by an almost impenetrable veil of mystery for some years past, has just undergone a serics of important tests, prior to passing the official trials authorised by the United States Government. This is no ordinary flying machine, and if the inventors' claims are ' eventually justified as I am convinced they will be —writers on\ military tactics .'will have to add to their works a fresh, chapter, dealing with the strange new factor that is destined, to make. its. debut in the next great war. The Wrights claim, that -their machine is capable of flying beyond the ■ reach of any projectile; ascending in any weather, provided the wind does not exceed twentyfive miles an hour in velocity; and describing a circle of at least twenty miles. They also guarantee that the aeroplane will carry two men. • Taken in conjunction with the recent reports from the "Daily Mail" correspondent on the spot, the accounts of the earlier efforts are exceedingly interesting, and instructive; and although -they caused a great deal of discussion from various points of view in aeronautical circles, it is only fair to, state that everything now point's to their having been authentic. ■'•' In the recent trials the " Daily Mail" correspondent states that a speed estimated at forty miles an hour was attained. Tlie machine was under perfect. control, and eventually "stepped like: a partridge returning to its nest. The navigators continue to use. the metal rails in order to facilitate a start, -which is still made facing the "wind. It would -be I unwise, until further details are forthcoming, to jump to the conclusion that because the Wrights,have accomplished long-dis'tance flights, compared with which the exploits of Farman and Delagrange appear insignicant, therefore the American machine is infinitely superior. The maintenance of stability, or equilibrium, is the crucial problem in ueroplaning, and the Wright brothers have admitted that much practice was required before they learnt the art of bal--.•ncin gtheir " flyer." The Wright n>'chine, moreover, does not appear to fly so automatically as Mr Farm.an's, but' it is very satisfactory to note that the greatest drawback to "the former—namely, the prone position of the operator—has been overcome, for the luxury of a chair is now -provided. This change' from the old and famib'ar position may partly account for the regrettable accident -which Mr Wilbur Wright met with recently, but they will soon get accustomed to altered conditions. There appears to be a general impresison that a cessation of the motive power in an aeroplane necessitates its falling to the . ground, yet, although this is perfectly true as regards some machines, the Wrights are able to alight without shock. In other -words, cutting off the motor supply causes the aeroplane to be converted into a temporary "glidder" or aerial toboggan. They prefer, however, to retain some headway to the last because control remain's • easier,' and, consequently, the exact spot on which to alight can be selected beforehand. The fundamental, principle of. the Wright aeroplane—as of all among those that can really fly—is the enjoyment of superposed planes. It is also, called- the. "box-kite" or "double-decker" system. This idea—which enables a heavier-tban-air body to leave the ground— ; did not: originate in America or on the Continent, as many suppose, but was first advocated by an Englishman (Mr F. H. Wenham) in a lecture read before the Aeronautical; Society of Great Britain so far back as June, 1866. Incidentally it may be remarked that he also first used the word "aeroplane." The advantages of the boxkite arrangement are two-fold. In the first place it holds the air, so to speak, better than an equivalent surface -wouldif disposed in one plane, and secondly, it renders the whole machine more compact. The long interval in aeroplane progress between the occurrence of Wen--ham's idea and recent, startling developments was due to the; absence tf: a motor fulfilling two conditions —lightness, combined with sufficient power to raise itself and the. weight of_ a man. It is interesting to note,' however, th;it the late Mr F. J. Stringfellow (also, an; , Englishman), adapted a steam engine to his aeroplane, which was awarded a prize | of £IOO in 1868; but engines were cumbersome in-those days, ■-and his attained only one horse power., I have referred to th€se achievements in ' order to show I the important part that England' has played in the development of the aeroplane. I Although-the body of the Wright' ma-'. I chine is not ■unlike Mr Farman's " double- I

decker," there is one limb in which they differ, and that is the tail. The Wrights have been able to dispense- with the awkward box-kite appendage that is such a. conspicuous feature in the Farman aeroplane, and have in its place a vertical rudder not unlike, that used in ships. I cannot help thinking that in this respect the' Americans have the advantage as Mr Farman's trailing tail-piece acts like a drag on the speed, which is practically the life of an aeroplane in the air. Tins probably accounts for the Wrights being able to travel so fast, although we must be careful not* to lose sight of the fact that the hind part of the Farman machine works as a counterpoise, and thus relieves the navigator of much anxiety in connection with, balance.

This leads up to a very important question in the consideration of aeroplanes: Will tHey ' ever attain such a state of perfection that the art of, navigation can be acquired as easily as the handling of a bicycle, a,motor,'or even a yacht Or will their manipulation rank as an acrobatic performance, attended with danger and only successfully achieved after infinite and laborious practice? It must be admitted that when we recall the. fact that die .Wright bro:hers have, spent so many years in acquiring facile handling of their machine, and that Mr Faruiati has been equally painstaking in a. shorter period, the ivhimediato fu'uredoes not look too hopeful for the amateur, woh craves for such a novel mode of transport. But, on the other hand, while avoiding the too often unpractical forecasts of the aeronautical visionary, such startling developments have taken, place during my own experience in aeronautics as to lead to a conviction that, before very long, aeroplanes will be at least as com-, mon as submarines, and that they will continue to call for a like amount of careful, if risky, handling.: ,-,.■'; _.-.