November i, 1909.] 



THE INDIA RUBBER WORLD 



39 



The News of Aerial Navigation. 



WRIGHTS AEROPLANE AT NEW YORK. 



THE most notable feat in aviation in America so far was that 

 of Wilbur Wright, at New York, during the Hudson- 

 Fulton celebration. Mr. Wright had agreed with 

 the celebration commission to bring his aeroplane to New 

 York during a specified period, but it was left to his dis- 

 cretion whether he should make a flight, all depending upon 

 weather conditions. He distinctly declined to enter into con- 

 tests for which prizes were offered. 



With the exception of a trial trip encircling the statue of 

 Liberty, in New York harbor — in itself a noteworthy event — 

 his only flight was made on October 4, when he started from 

 Governor's Island, the military headquarters at New York, 

 and proceeded up the Hudson river, passing the international 

 naval fleet at anchor there, and flying over some of the war- 

 ships, then turning and landing again at the point of starting. 

 The New York Herald quotes Mr. Wright as saying as he 

 started: 



"I'll land there by the end of the rail [the "monorail" 120 

 feet in length, used in making the ascent]. Have the soldiers 

 keep the crowd away from'there. I'll be back in 30 minutes. 

 Let her go!" 



The distance from the starting point to where he made 

 the turn up-stream, and back to the start, is 18.6 miles [=30 

 kilometersl. but it is considered that the whole distance 

 covered, by reason of the course followed — he followed the 

 east side of the river going up and the west side on coming 

 down, beside which the curve at the turn is to be considered 

 — was at least 20 miles, or about the breadth of the English 

 channel where crossed by Bleriot. The time in the air was 

 33 minutes 33 seconds, of which 20 minutes 30 seconds were 

 occupied in the outward flight and only 13 minutes 3 seconds 



inward, at which time the breeze was in his favor. The ex- 

 perts are agreed that Wright's task was more difficult than 

 that of Bleriot, who had open sea and steady winds, while 

 \\ right had a harbor cluttered with shipping, besides a thou- 

 sand disturbing air currents caused by the tall New York 

 buildings and the sea winds sweeping up the Hudson and the 

 parallel East river. 



Wright started on his course direct without preliminary 

 circling and landed in the same manner, within a few feet 

 from the spot he had indicated, and practically within his 30 

 minutes specification. He was encouraged by his success to 

 agree to make a much longer flight later in the same day, 

 but while he was arranging to start, and while surrounded 

 by an enthusiastic crowd, a cylinder head blew out of the 

 motor of his aeroplane, making it necessary to send the 

 machine to the factory, at Dayton. Ohio. This was the last 

 day of his scheduled stay in New York. It is estimated that 

 part of the flight was made at the rate of 50 miles an hour, 

 and the altitude reached varied from 25 to 300 feet. What 

 particularly attracted attention throughout the event was 

 Wright's apparent complete control of his aeroplane. 



Admiral Sir Edward Hobart Seymour, of the British navy, 

 and the official representative of King Edward at the Hudson- 

 Fulton celebration, said, according to the New York. Ameri- 

 can : "The thing that impressed me most was the steadiness 

 of the machine. After seeing Mr. Wright's exhibition, I am 

 sure that the aeroplane is here to stay." 



FLYING MACHINES AND THE CUSTOMS. 



While there is no specific provision in the new American 

 tariff law for the assessment of duties on imported flying 

 machines, it is assumed by those interested that such imports 



WILBUR WRIGHT IN HIS BIPLANE OVER NEW YORK HARBOR. Photo, by Brown Brothers. 



