FLYING MACHINES. 
5 
Castra,” by Christopher Hatton Turner, a work devoted to the 
history of aeronautics, come to the conclusion, that Henson’s 
aerial macliine was ever constructed of the dimensions there 
stated, he would be in error. The passage alluded to, is ex- 
tracted from Newton’s ‘^Journal of Arts and Sciences,” and is 
as follows : 
“ The amount of canvas or oiled silk necessary for buoying 
up the machine, is stated to be equal to one square foot for 
each half pound weight, the whole apparatus weighing about 
3,000 lbs., and the area of surface spread out to support it, 
4,500 square feet in the two wings, and 1,505 in the tail, making 
altogether 6,000 square feet.” 
The fact is, that this machine was never constructed ; for 
after two abortive attempts to manufacture models, at the 
Adelaide Gralleiy, which should represent the dimensions before- 
named, he rejoined his friend at Chard, and the two together 
commenced their experiments under a variety of forms. Mr. 
Stringfellow frequently availed himself of the express train, 
taking with him an arrangement for testing the resistance of 
different angles against the air, at high speed, and he states 
that those experiments only tended to prove, that an}^ guess- 
work was better than the calculations hitherto made by writers 
on the subject. 
However, in 1844, they together commenced the construction 
of a model ; Henson attending chiefly to the wood or frame- 
work, and Stringfellow to the propulsive power, for which, after 
trial of other effects, he adopted steam. This model, completed 
in 1845, measured twenty feet from tip to tip of wing, by three 
and a half feet wide, giving seventy feet of sustaining surface in 
the wings, and about ten more in the tail. The weight of the 
entire machine was from twenty-five to twenty-eight pounds. 
As pictorial illustrations of this machine were widely pub- 
lished at the time, it is not thought necessary to reproduce them, 
especially as a succeeding attempt, hereafter depicted, bears 
a great resemblance to it ; the important difference existing in 
the improved method of construction. The principal feature 
was the very large sustaining surface in proportion to the weight, 
which, as we have seen in reference to M. de Lucy’s experi- 
ments, was far in excess of the requisite conditions. To sup- 
port tliis weight, it was necessary to propel the plane surface at 
an angle against the resisting air, and it is evident, that in pro- 
portion as the speed imparted was increased, so might the angle 
be decreased. 
It was necessary to provide initial force ; accordingly, an 
inclined plane was constructed, down which the machine was to 
glide, and it was so arranged that the power should be main- 
tained by a steam engine, working two four-bladed propellers, 
