NAVIGATION OF THE AIR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXI, Issue 9169, 18 August 1908, Page 5

NAVIGATION OF THE AIR.

CABLE NEWS.

United Press Association— Ky Electric Telegraph copyright.

THE "DAILY MAIL" PRIZE. WRIGHT BROS. WILL COMPETE. Received August 17, 8.40 a.m. LONDON, August 16. Wilbur Wright states that a Wright, airship will shortly compete for the "Daily Mail's" £IO,OOO prize. The Wrights are described as typical specimens of the simple, hard working American mechanic. They were originally bicycle makers. For the last few years they have devoted their savings to their flying machine invention. "One day," said Wilbur Wright, "we were reading about flying machines, and we thought we would try and make one. First of all we made paper glid?rs, setting them afloat in the little machine shop. One day we discovered how to make gliders always glide, and we ttien made gliders to scale, with weights representing a man and a motor. Finally we made one of full size. With this practicable model we went to the sandhill country in North Carolina. The first te=t was unfortunate. The machine swooping from the hill top in the sand, was smashed, but I myself escaped with a few sprains. The trials which we conducted next summer tau?ht us how to fly, the aeronaut lyhg face downwards and gradually acquiring the necessary balance for l-iding in the air." The r.ext problem was the motor. There were none made then that gave the requisite power, but an automobile motor was adapted by the Wrights till the requisite strength per pound weight was obtained. NEW MILITARY DIRIGIBLE AIRSHIP. Received August 18, 1.18 a.m. LONDON, August 17. Colonel Capper, Commandant of the Balloon School at Aldershot, made a series of circular flights covering twenty miles with the new dirigible airship. His final trip to and from Fitley was made with and against a stiff wind. The airship behaved splendidly.