MIRACLES OF SCIENCE 



bulk of the names that now loom large in our genera- 

 tion are utterly forgotten. 



HIGH FLYING 



The more recent history of the development of the 

 art of flying is a matter of common knowledge. But it 

 may be of interest to recall a few specific achieve- 

 ments. 



/ On the 17th day of September, 1912, a French avia- 

 / tor, M. Georges Legagneaux, soared into the air in his 

 monoplane, and in the course of three-quarters of 

 an hour had attained the dizzy height of three and a 

 V half miles; or, to be more precisely accurate, 5,720 

 ^ meters, or 18,761.60 feet. The accomplishment gained 

 wide attention, because it constituted a record; yet it 

 can scarcely be said to have occasioned surprise, for 

 after all it exceeded a record made ten days before 

 by M. Garros by only about 2500 feet. Meantime 

 another aviator had gone to the height of 13,000 feet 

 carrying a passenger; and yet another had piloted 

 two passengers more than a mile and a half into the 

 air. Moreover the record made by Legagneaux was 

 surpassed by Garros, who attained 18,400 feet at 

 Tunis, on December llth; and this record in turn 

 gave way to one established by M. Perreyon in 

 France on March 11, 1913, the new record being 

 19,685 feet or almost three and three quarter miles. 

 It is thought that the limit has nearly been 

 reached with motors of the present type, as the 

 air at this great height becomes so thin as to reduce 

 greatly the lifting power of the aeroplane and the 

 horse power of the motor. The great cold makes 



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