168 PROGEESS WITH AIR SHIPS. 



is a Clement double-cjdinder, air-cooled, petrol engine, weighing 15ut 

 20.-1: i)ound.s and developing 8 horsepower, or les.s than pounds per 

 horsepower. The fly wheel is formed of a bicycle wheel, which weighs 

 under 2 pounds and makes 1,600 revohitions. The steel shaft runs 

 back from the motor to the propeller in rear. This is two-bladed, 

 formed'of steel tu))es, covered with tightlv stretched oiled silk. The 

 propeller is 10 feet in diameter and 15 inches in greatest width. It 

 weighs 2-1 pounds and makes 2(»(» revohitions per minute, giving a 

 thrust of ."iO to ()(» pounds. The ])alloon itself weighs only 30 pounds, 

 and the whole apparatus, with framework, car, motor, etc., is under 

 200 pounds. A tapering trail rope, lOO feet long, hangs from the 

 front of the l)alloon and is supported by a pulley under the rear end 

 of the frame, so that the balance can be regulated. A large rudder, 

 of 85 square feet, is placed under the after end of the balloon. 



SANTOS DUMON'T NO. 10. 



The large Santos Dumont No. 10, the "Omnibus," of which a good 

 deal has been heard, has not yet left its shed. Though it has been 

 practically ready for some weeks, there seems to be some doul)t as to 

 how it ma}" l)ehave, and with so large a machine it does not do to run 

 any risks. This new machine is far bigger than an}^ of this aeronaut's 

 former ])alloons, l)eing nearly 200 feet long, and having a capacity of 

 about To.ooo cubic feet. It is supposed to take 14 passengers, who are 

 carried in three baskets hung below the long frame. The vessel is to 

 be propelled by two screws, one at each end of the frame, and these are 

 driven ))}' a motor of 60 horsepower. A number of horizontal aero- 

 planes are arranged between the frame and the balloon, to aid in rais- 

 ing and lowering the apparatus. 



SPENCER'S BALLOON. 



In England we have also had an experiment with an air ship. Mr. 

 Stanley Spencer constructed a new balloon, 93 feet long and 24: feet 

 maxinuun diameter, containing 30,000 cubic feet. Below this was 

 suspended a framework, similar to that used in the Santos Dumont 

 balloons, 5(> feet in length and stayed 4 feet apart by triangles of 

 bamboo. The engine was a Sinuns motor of 24 horsepower. A screw 

 propeller, 12 feet in diameter, was placed in front and a large rudder 

 behind. On its lirst trial, however, the machine did not prove a suc- 

 cess, failing to lift. We may look forward to a better result in future 

 experiments. 



DEUTSCH'S BALLOON. 



Another large machine which is practically ready, and has been for 

 some time, but which also seems to hesitate about starting on its 

 maiden voyage, is the " Ville de Paris,'' belonging to M. Deutsch and 

 designed by M. Tatin. The general design of this vessel is very much 



