THE BORDERLAND OF SCIENCE. 



scopic portion of the machine may be made to support 

 itself. 



It is this property of enforced rapidity of motion 

 which renders the probable results of the mastery of 

 our problem so important. It has been well remarked 

 that two problems will be solved at once, when the 

 first really successful flying-machine has been made 

 not only the problem of flight, but the problem of 

 travelling more swiftly than by any contrivances yet 

 devised. In the motion of a flying-machine, as dis- 

 tinguished from the flight of man by his own exertions, 

 the swiftness of the bird's flight may be more than 

 matched. It is a mere mechanical problem which has 

 to be solved ; and few mechanicians will deny that when 

 once the true principles of flight have been recog- 

 nised, the ingenuity of man is capable of constructing 

 machines in which these principles shall be carried out. 

 Iron and steam have given man the power of surpassing 

 the speed of the swiftest of four-footed creatures the 

 horse, the greyhound, and the antelope. We have full 

 confidence that the same useful servants place it in 

 man's power to outvie in like manner the swiftest of 

 winged creatures the swallow, the pigeon, and the 

 hawk. 



(From the Cornhitt Magazine for October 1871.) 



