536 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



foot of displacement ; in face of which simple fact we find an 

 inventor named Pennington only quite lately patenting a 

 device for seats in an aerial car containing small cavities 

 filled with gas, for the purpose of helping to raise the weight 

 of the passengers, and we have been informed that he, 

 like M. Petin, has endeavoured to raise money for float- 

 ing a company to work the scheme. 



Continuing our historical retrospect, we learn that in 1854 

 Captain Le Bris made experiments with a sailing machine 

 which he called an "artificial albatross," andwhich he released 

 from the top of a cart. Partial success was accomplished, 

 the machine at one time going 600 feet in distance in 

 the air, but the experiments had to be discontinued for 

 want of funds, not, however, till after Le Bris had broken 

 his leg in an accident with the machine. In 1866 there 

 was founded a new society "for the advancement of Aerial 

 Navigation and for observations in Aerology connected 

 therewith ", Of this Society, v/hich afterwards became the 

 Aeronautical Society of Great Britain, the first President 

 was the Duke of Argyll, and Mr. F. W. Brearey occupied 

 the post of Honorary Secretary till his death in 1896. In 

 1868 the Society organised an exhibition at the Crystal 

 Palace, commencing on 25th June. The light motor engines 

 were probably the most important feature, and a prize of 

 ^100 was awarded to Mr. Stringfellow, whose steam en- 

 gine, only weighing thirteen pounds with boiler, gave rather 

 more than one horse-power. About the year 1870 De 

 Villeneuve is reported to have constructed a flying machine 

 driven by steam supplied from a fixed boiler through a 

 flexible hose. On attaching himself to the apparatus and 

 turning the steam on, De Villeneuve, to his surprise, was 

 lifted off the ground, whereupon he stopped the engine in 

 his alarm at the unexpected success of the experiment. 

 In 1871 some experiments on air-resistance were C(jnducted 

 by the Aeronautical Society, a powerful current of air 

 driven through a tube being employed. From that time 

 on, till a few years ago, but few advances have been made, 

 and aerial navigation seems to have undergone a dormant 

 period ; the most noteworthy exception being the achieve- 



