THE AEROPLANE

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXIV, Issue 12704, 25 February 1909, Page 4

THE AEROPLANE

The opinion expressed by Mr J. T. Macpherson, one of the Labour members, in the House of Commons yesterday about aeroplanes is quite at variance with the views of the military authorities of the Great Powers. Mr Macpherson looks upon the expenditure of ,£19,000 on aeroplanes by the British War Department as a waste of money, whereas other nations are devoting hundreds of thousands of pounds to perfecting these aerial machines. Recently it was announced that, owing to the astonishing advances which have been made during the past year in the development of teh aeroplane and the dirigible balloon, the United States War Department had asked Congress for an appropriation of 500,000 dollars for the purpose of building dirigibles and aeroplanes and carrying on the general work of military aeronautics. The Scientific American considers that the Department is fully justified in requesting this appropriation. The work done by the Wright brothers, both in America and in France, to say nothing of the successful flights accomplished by Farman, Bleriot, and Delagrange, and the sensational journey by the monster dirigible of Count Zeppelin, is a fact of profound significance. These flights prove that the problem of mechanical flight is passing 1 , if it has not already passed, out of the domain of theory and academics into that of the practical and useful. The paper in question says it cannot be disputed that as compared with the dirigible the aeroplane holds the first place in popular, if it does not in official favour. The flight by Wilbur Wright of over an hour, the straightaway journey of Farman across country for 17 miles, and the round-trip flight of Bleriot of 18 miles across country, are feats which exceed, the most optimistic expectations of the early months of the present year. Wright, with a 25 horse-power engine, has shown that he can maintain a speed of 35 miles an hour, and Farman and Bleriot, ■in their cross-country flights, averaged about 50 miles an hour. The scientific journal suggests that it may as well be recognised at once that the aeroplane can never be seriously considered as a means of transportation on any extended scale. The present indications are that a single machine can never hope to carry more than two or three passengers. For the carriage of heavy freight it is altogether out of the questiqp ; althought it is possible it may have a field of usefulness in the post office and express service, for the transmission of important mail and light packages with the least possible delay. In the opinion of the paper the greatest field of usefulness of the aeroplane wi I be ii military operations; although even in this field its work will be of a limited character, for the following reasons: Its small carrying capacity will prevent its being used on any extensive scale for the carrying and dropping of high explosives. The amount of explosive which it could take- up would be so insignificant as to have no particular value for this purpose. The attack on fortifications, arsenals, dockyards, fortified camps, and cities by landing within them high explosive shells can only have any decisive effect on the outcome of a war if the high explosives can be thrown in enormous quantities. The dropping of a few isolated shells could only work a limited amount of damage, and unless they could be accurately aimed, they would represent so much time and money thrown away. Experience in bombardments has proved this fact conclusively. It was only after the capture of 203-Metre Hill, outside Port Arthur, when the fire of the guns could be accurately directed, that the heavy mortar batteries were able to do any very effective work. Now to aim the one or two high-explosive sliells -wlixolx »»n aeroplane coixlcL eai-iry so that they would unerringly hit some particular point below would be a practical impossibility, for reasons which it is not necessary here to enter into. The Scientific American concludes: The military aeroplane of the future will find its greatest field of usefulness in the important work of scouting. The military scout will carry two men; one to operate the machine, and the other to take photographs and make reconnaissance sketches of the country. It would be entirely possible for Wilbur Wright to take up with him an officer, rise to a height of 1000 or 1500 feet, sweep' over 25 or 30 miles of an enemy's country, and secure a thoroughly accurate sketch- of' the lav of the land, the disposition and strength of the enemy, the various roads by which he might attack or be attacked, and all the other information -'which it would be the duty of the reconnoitering officer to secure. Because of the height at which the aeroplane could travel and the uncertainty as to its speed and direction of flight, it would be an extremely difficult object to hit, and it would be possible for several shells of the small calibre which would be used in an attack to pass through the canvas of the aeroplane without impairing its stability.

A Sydney cable states that a neavy thunderstorm is interfering generally with telegraphic communication.

Cr. Harkness has given notice to move at the next meeting of the Borough Council that the whole of Victoria Avenue be Lar-painted.

The candidates for the Palmerston Licensing Committee are Messrs H. T. Palmer, C. Quirk, W. Beck, S. W. Luxford, and J. M. Johnston.

Mrs Margaret Thomas, on whom an inquest was held at Porth, South Wales, on January 2, was said to h^e burst into tears when she was warned that her house was on fire. Instaed of jumping from a window she went back to bed, and was burnt to death.

Says yesterday 'a Press:— Jhe insufficiency of steamers to cope with the trade of Patea was again illustrated, yesterday when a special train of 24 trucks, 16 containing- meat and 8 butter, left for Wellington. Not only does this affect the firms interested, but it is a loss to the Harbour Board.

A correspondent, who as\s, "What is Wanganui doing?" writes drawing our attention to the fact that (ug reported by the Post) signatures to the fetition for a Saturday half-holiday in Wellington now number 3119 and that further names were being rapidly received on the petitions circulated by the Trades and Labour Council.

A decided lise in temperatures was re corded in the north this morning. Tiritiri (Auckland district), headed the list with 72deg. at 9 o'clock, Hokianga being next with 71, Cambridge 70, Cape Maria and Tauranga 69, Russell and Auckland 68, Gisborne 6ft, Wanganui, Wellington, Blenheim and Greymouth 60, Nelson and Christchurch 62, Dunedin 60, Invercargill 61.

An ingenious and useful compilation has just been published in the shape of a telegraphic code dealing exclusively with money. In a single word of ten letters it will negotiate specific amounts either in decimal currencies or sterling. Each cipher consists of five letters, alpabetically arranged, and differing from each other by at least two letters. The new code, which fills a want in commercial life, is compiled by Mr Albert Beaver, -formerly a wellknown resident of Melbourne.

At the spot where the last spike was driven on the Main Trunk line, there has just been erected an obelisk bearing the following inscription: "This obelisk is erected on the spot where the Right Hon. Sir J. G. Ward, P.C., K.C.M.G., Premier of the Dominion, drove the last spike of the North Island Main Trunk Railway on the 6th November, 1908, Hon. Hall-Jones, Minister for Public Works and Railways." Tho pillar is 6ft high and measures 4ft at the base; the lettering is black on a white marble slab. The situation of the monument is about 20ft off the line on the western side, between Makatote and Manganui-o-te-au, 213-}- miles from Auckland and a similar distance from Wellington.

From London Town to Wellington it has been a hard race between the Atheuic and Tongariro, which dropped anchor in the harbour on Saturday evening and Sunday morning last respectively. Tho Tongariro left London on a Tuesday and the Athenic on the following Saturday. The lead was much reduced, remarks tho Dominion, at Hobart, wlice the Tongariro arrived at 9.30 p.m. and the Athenio at daybreak the next morning. From Hobart the Athenic got away first, and though neither vessel was expected in Wellington till Sunday morning, the. Athenic put her best foot foremost' and arrived late on Saturday afternoon, being alongside the wharf about 7 p.m. The Tongariro came in on Sunday morning. K> One of the principal "uestione discussed at the annual meeting of the New Zealand Press Association yesterday was the matter of charges for Press telegrams. A small concession was granted to evening newspiipers over a quarter of a century ;igo but since then matters have remained in statu quo, notwithstanding frequent concessions made to the public. The excessive cost of telegrams is severely felt l.y the smaller newspapers, and the Department is to be asked to meet the Association ]'••■ a reasonable way. It is Ci».jsiderrd unfair *hat newspapers, which g s t thousands of words per day per telegraph should t-e placed on the same footing :>s the individual who sends a sixpenny telegram — and be compelled to pay a half penny per word. Any concession to the Association wolud be reaped by the reading public, who would be supplied w»tb ?nore telegraph news if the. Department granted reasonable concessions.

Householders should have no reason to growl about vegetables being dear just now (say* the Wellington Post). The lor?! market is simply flooded with French bean* 1 and cabbages, and the thrifty housewife may — by attendance at the auction sales — get a cartload of vegetables for two or three shillings. Cabab<res, first-class ye*"'tables in first-class order, have been selling at 3d to 9d a pack. There are alao such unlimited quantities of French beans that the auctioneers find it difficult to quit at any price. Plums, peaches, nectarines aprlfs, and pears are coming forward in big quantities, but prices, again, are all in favour of the buyer. Some of the fruit, owing to- the late severe storm and the delay occasioned in bringing the orchard sweets forward, is not in the best condition, but in, any case prices arc not very encouraging to the seller. As mentioned before, this apnlies more emphatically to the vegetable lines, and at the present t':ne -t hardly pays to transport the green stuff from the country.

Addressing the art students at the Royal Academy a few days ago. Sir Hubert von Herkomer spoke scornfully of the way in which money is now piled up in auction rooms — "to put it into plain English, gambling in old masters," ho. said. It was, he added contemptuously", the "pride of price" rather than of securing a bargain which stirs the ambition for old masters^ — "a duel of two or more rich men desiring to secure something which will give them notoraety." So JecUrod ihai snii^narUn value is not art value. Millais' "Angelus" was sold by the artist for ,£4O. It afterwards changed hands for £72, then .£4BO, and subsequently for <£'1520, £6400; £22,120, and "finally -was acquired by an American duellist for £32,000." Yet its artistic value was precisely the same when it was sold for £500 or £32,000. "It is monstrous," exclaimed Sir Hubert vehemently, "that art should be utilised for the purpose of speculation in the sale-room. This gambling has become a disease."

Direct and neraonal communication with London and Paris, and a thoroughly up-to-date milliner has given us exceptional advantages for our first private show of the season's hats. A glance will suffice to prove the correctness and completeness of the exhibit : an investigation of prices will cause no little wonder and delight that such graceful and elegant models can be purchased at such reasonable prices. This special exhibit of imported models will be held on Friday, Saturday, and Monday next, and yon are- cordially invited to make a personal inspection.-^* McGruer and Co.

Lord Plunkct l.aa contributed a subscription of .£55 to the Penguin Relict Fund. *

The Borough gas department invites tenders for the supply of 300 tons of gpe

A notice of interest to probationers and pupil teachers of the Wanganui Education Board is inserted in another column.

Captain Edwin telegraphs at 1 p.m. today:—Northerly moderate to- strong winds, glaes fall slowly, tides good, sea moderate.

The delegates to the Press Association and kindred conferences are to be entertained at an all-day river picnic to-mor-row. The Manuwai will leave the wharf at 9 a.m., returning in the evening.

At the annual meeting of the New >.ealand Press Association yesterday it wre reported that Messrs G. Fenwick (Div)Cdin) and H. Brett (Auckland), two of tho directors, were amongst the six New Zealand Press representatives who would attend the Imperial Press Conference to le \held shortly. Messrs L. Blundell (Wellington) "and P. Selig (Christchurch), were appointed to the Board of Directors, Mr Fenwick was elected chairman, and Mr H. Horton (Auckland) deputy-chairman. It was resolved to hold the next meeting of the Association at Rotorua.

Writing under date Sydney, February 20th, Mr A. E. Remington, M.P., for Rangitikci, states that he intends returnign to New Zealand by the Maheno, leaving on Saturday, the 27th. What with making investigations into the Australian laws governing labour, land, liquor, pure food, and other matters, to say nothing of Oregon pine, which he has se?n there in millions of feet, he has had a busy time. He has travelled over 2500 miles, s»nd has taken notes of a great many things that should prove interesting and useful in connection with his Parliamentary work. Mr Remington.says he is in the best of health.

The members of an oil launch party who had to make an enforced stay at Maramaratotara all Sunday night, owing to an accident to the machinery, desire us to convey their thanks to Mrs Ancell, of that place, for shelter given to the ladies of the party. The male members of tbe party passed a chilly night, having to sleep in the open, but getting some warmth from a fire which they built. Two of them tramped to town and returned with one of Mr Jas. Nixon's launches, which was somewhat delayed by fog, but reached Maramaratotara at 5 o'clock in the morning and brought the party back to town.

A peculiar case in connection with the payment of ,£6O to a contractor who lives on the shores of Pelorus Sound has arisen in connection with the wreck of the Penguin. The payment was for work done for a local body at Blenheim, and, there being no bank near the contractor's residence, the amount in bank notes was forwarded through the post office by registered letter. The money now lies at the bottom of the sea in one of the Penguin's mail bags. The post office regulations stipulate that the department is not responsible for the loss of money above £2. The question now arises: Who is to bea rthe loss, the local body, the contractor, or the post office?

The efforts of the Wanganui Horticultural Society to make the local shows the success they ought to be are bearing fruit. The roll of members has grown 'cons derablv. the prizes have been increased in number and amount, and the response from exhibitors give promise of gratifying results. For "the Show on Wednesday and Thursday next a number of nurserymen intend to make displays. The Momohaki Experimental Farm will probably send an exhibit also. All our readers who are willing to enter exhibits should lose no time in procuring a catalogue from the local seedsmen, or looking up the secretary, Mr F. R. Field, 72 Ridgway Street, P.O. bo* 93, telephone 622. who will be glad to supply all information . A young woman nam>'d Jessie Robertson, who has figured much too' prominently in the Court during the pa»t year, for vagrircy offences, was the ouly accused before the Court this mornings She v/as chargsd with being a rogue and vagabond, witli no lawful mea»is of support. Accused only recently was released from ijaol for a similar offence, and at once relapsed into a life of abandonment — drinking beingi her main trouble, as in a muddled state she would buttonhole persons in' the street), ana associating with persons of doubtful character. Her condition, this morning was pitiful, and she was sentenced by Mr H. S. G. Harper, J.P., to imprisonment for three months, with the object of giving her time to recover from her abandoned condition. The woman, whose parents reside in Palmerston, is of prepossessing appearance when in proper surroundings, and were she taken in hand by sonic reformatory home for a period, on leaving gaol, such as one of the S.A. Homes, might be induced to make an effort to recover herself.