THE CELLULAR KITE. 145 
the kite, and A D and C E are the heights of the surfaces that 
tend to steady it. Bisect D B and B E, and erect perpendiculars 
F H and G K equal to A D or CE, join H K; and FH K Gis 
the breadth and height of a cell having the same lifting power as 
A B C and (apparently) greater stability. 
The width of the kite D E is halved, and therefore much less 
timbering spreads an equal area of lifting surface to say nothing 
of the rigidity of the lattice girder construction. 
To realize this question of stability from another point of view, 
let us imagine a flying machine with its lifting surfaces in the 
diedral fashion A B C, and one with two cells like F H K G, to 
be on their respective stages, rails, carriages or floats, ready to 
fly : suppose them to have equal areas, weights and wheel or other 
bases and to be heading directly to the wind; a momentary 
change of wind would promptly overturn A BO, but FH KG 
would only be pushed sideways. 
Suppose both machines to be flying at the same speed and to 
require to turn to the right suddenly. They each port their helm 
with the result that the diedral one turns on its beam ends to 
Starboard and the cellular one loses way due to the amount of 
vertical surface and develops a slight listing moment to star- 
board. 
A comparison of the scale drawing of a ninety square feet kite 
(Plate 7) with Plate 8 of the paper on “Aeronautical Work” read 
here on June 5th, 1895, will show detail improvements that have 
lately been made. The 1895 drawing shows the main frame to 
have had three king-posts and four diagonal wire ties, these are 
now abolished and the cells brought closer together longitudinally. 
The frame now consists of two pieces of wood, each three times 
the length of the cell, united by the ties (B) at the centres of each 
cell. The effect of this alteration is that the kite is equally strong 
with less material, and it will fold to a close bundle seven feet six 
inches long, with a maximum circumference of sixteen inches. 
This makes the question of transport a very simple matter. 
J—Aug. 5, 1896, 
