ST 
1883, ] 301 [Thayer. 
Aerial Ships. By Russell Thayer, CO. H. 
(Read before the American Philosophical Society, Nov. 16, 1883.) 
At the close of an interesting paper on the subject of aerial navigation, 
read before the Institution of Civil Engineers, by Mr. William Pole, F.R.S. 
M. Inst. C. E., the following conclusions are stated, viz. : 
“The problem of aerial navigation by balloons is one as perfectly 
amenable to mechanical investigation as that of aquatic navigation by 
floating vessels ; and its successful solution involves nothing unreasonable 
or inconsistent with the teachings of mechanical science. 
“Tt has been fully established by experiment that it is possible to de- 
sign and construct a balloon which shall possess the conditions necessary 
for aerial navigation, ¢.e., which shall have a form of small resistance, 
shall be stable and easy to manage, and, if driven through the air, shall 
be capable of steering by a proper obedience to the rudder. 
“Tf, by a power carried with the balloon, surfaces of sufficient area can 
be made to act against the surrounding air, the reaction will propel the 
balloon through the air in an opposite direction. 
““The modern invention of the screw-propeller furnishes a means of ap- 
plying power in this way, to effect the propulsion ; and the suitability 
and efficacy of such means have been shown by actual trial. 
“Sufficient data exists to enable an approximate estimate to be made 
of the power nec assary to propel such a balloon with any given velocity 
through the air, 
“The recent great reduction in the weight of steam motors has rendered 
it possible to carry with the balloon an amount of power suflicient to pro- 
duce moderately high speed, say twenty or thirty miles an hour through 
the air; and by taking advantage of other recent improvements it would 
also be possible to carry a moderate supply of fuel and water for the 
working, 
; “The practical difficulties in the way are only such as naturally arise 
in the extension of former successful trials, and such as may reasonably 
be expected to give way before skill and experience.’’ 
Tn the discussion of the question, Mr. Pole considered the propeller as 
being the only known available means of utilizing the force generated for 
the propulsion of the aerial ship; and the deductions above quoted are 
based upon this means being used to apply the force. My investigations 
and experiments, however, have induced me to believe that for the pur- 
pose desired the propeller is a most clumsy and unsuitable contrivance ; 
indeed, the immense size that would be required for the propulsion of even 
gear of ordinary dimensions renders its use impracticable. 
eat the past year I have been making somewhat of a study of this sub- 
Ject, with the object in view of ascertaining whether any practicable 
method of propulsion could be devised which would enable an aerial ship 
properly constructed to have a rapid motion through the air, in any direc- 
tion, entirely independent of the atmosphere or medium in which it floats, 
