OCR Text |
Show THE AEROPLANE. In their tests at Fort Myer, the Wright brothers broth-ers have met with some success and some minor accidents which spoiled the fun for the spectators. The government has generously extended the time in which the brothers could complete the arrangements arrange-ments for the rigid tests to which the aeroplane is to be subjected, in order to get in on the appropriation. appro-priation. In order to meet the requirements of the government, the Wrights must fly their machine ma-chine a distance of five miles and back again. This is the most severe test which has been required of the aeroplane, although the previous performances of the machine would seem to indicate that the requirements re-quirements could be easily met. It was at Fort Myer last year that the aeroplane, aero-plane, with Orvillc Wright at the helm and Lieutenant Lieu-tenant Self ridge a3 a passenger, met with an accident ac-cident that precipitated the whole thing to the ground, killing the passenger and severely injuring Mr. Wright. The memory of this accident may have furnished the reason for the refusal of the aviators to fly over the city of Alexandria, with its houses and chimneys, which might interfere with the flight. A perfectly clear field or a densely wooded one is preferred. The requirements of the government of five miles and return seem trifling when the flight of Count Zeppelin is taken into consideration. Zeppelin Zep-pelin has succeeded in making nearly a thousand miles in his dirigible balloon, a performance which makes it at once the most successful of the flying apparatus and makes possible the menace which has long been thought of by miltary strategists. The Zeppelin machine, however, s not a "heavier than air" machine. It is, indeed, not a flying machine, ma-chine, but a dirigible balloon. It is acknowledged as a practical conqueror of the air, while the aeroplane aero-plane is yet an undeveloped toy, liable to accident at any time, which seems to add to the pleasure of the spectators at the tests. It is the first step in the science of flying with apparatus heavier than air developing its own power without the aid of a gas bag. |