NAVIGATION OF THE AIR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 125, 18 May 1908, Page 3

NAVIGATION OF THE AIR.

FLIGHT BY WIUQUT BROTHERS. AN UNFORTUNATE ACCIDENT. London, May 1">. The Daily Telegraph's correspondent at Manteo, North Carolina, states that the Wright brothers made a circular fight in their aeroplane, travelling seven miles in seven minutes forty seconds. Wilburn Wright pulled the wrong lever, and caused the aeroplane to sud-1 denly descend. The machine was wrecked, but the Wrights escaped unhurt. The greatest secrecy is observed ml conducting the experiments. j

WHAT THE WRIGHTS HAVE DONE.

Here are the latest recorded pcrformancco ol three of the leading exponents of the heavior-than-air principle:— Wright Bros., 25 miles, partly against the wind. M. Delagrane, 6% miles in Dniin 8 sec., the hut 4'/. miles without touching the ground. Mr. Henry Farman, V/ 3 miles at a height of 20ft, making three circuits, descending gently. If the above figures are correct, the supremacy which M. Santos Duiuont held last year must presumably be held to have passed from him to Mr. Farman, from Mr. Farman to M. Delagrange, and from the latter to the Wrights. Though the Wright Bros, nave not given public exhibitions, their past Sights seem to have been well autnenticated. A correspondent, who quotes largely from a report by the Wrighls to the Aero Club of America, writes to

the Times-.—The chief flight of the aero plane, with one of the brothers on board, was of 24 1-ath miles, accomplished in 38 min I3scc., or at the rate of 38 miles per hour. The machine, with its engine, weighed U£jlU There were 17 witnesses of the flight-, including Mr. Theodore XYadd-11, Ol the United States Census Department, Washington, D.C. The flights are also authenticated by Professor Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the Bell telephone; by Mr. A. M. Herring, a rival aeronaut and the first American to travel in a free aeroplane propelled by mechanical power; and by Mr. William J. Hammer, the well-known American electrician. Colonel J. E. Capper, C.8..

ef the British Military Balloon Corps. •Jao expressed himself as satislied after a Tint to Messrs Wright at Dayton.

The inventors are tbe son- of a clergyman living at Dayton, Ohio. They have built up their theory and practice after cumulative experiments, solving one difficulty at a time, testing every step, noting every detail, and bringing mathematical reasoning to liear on every inch and ounce of their machine. They have studied the history of the art or aerial navigation, and ]<ossess a large library of works on the subject, as well •S of books relating to the flight of birds and insects. They have never j patented their aeroplane.

The machine used in 1!X)4 has been described by the Wrights as follows: Length, fore and aft, 20ft; width of wings from tip to tip, 40ft; weight, 71)0 lb j two aerial screws—one behind the wings for propulsion, the other behind the machine for suspension; a gasoline Mgine of 18 bJip. capable of driving the •crews at 1200 revolutions; four cylinder! of 4in stroke, a rudder for direction, and a single rail track, with a lafl Bin above ground, for the run before rising to fly. The 1905 machine is •aid to have weighed 9251b., and to have been fitted with s lighter and more powerful motor.

The Wright Bros, last year visited Europe, but apparently did no business with the Continental Governments. The reason is considered to be that the European Governments, including tbe British, were all taking up the guidable balloon rather than the heavier-than-air principle, which latter implies the abandonment of the gas-filled lag, and reliance upon purely mechanical means to attain flight. But the United States Government has just a 8 emphatically gone in for the aeroplane, according to the following New York cablegram, dated February o:—"Mr. Taft, United Btates Secretary for War. on behalf oi j the American Board of Ordnance, flas accepted three offers of heavier-thin air flying machines, including the Wright Brothers', which are to be delivered within 21") days, at a cost of C.TfIOO."

When in Europe the Wright Brothers attended the exhibitions of other aeronauts, among whom they placed Mr. Firman tir-t. declaring that be had nrrived nearer the aeroplane than any other aviator, adding that there was Still a pood deal of ground to be covered liefore he ronld he said to have reached equality with them.