1879.] 
The Problem of Flight. 163 
IV. THE PROBLEM OF FLIGHT : BALLOONING 
IN ARCTIC EXPLORATION. 
t HE proposal to employ balloons in ArCtic Exploration 
has recently attracted more general attention to the 
hitherto unsolved problem of artificial flight. The 
methodical study of the laws of natural flight, which has 
been pursued for several years by Dr. Pettigrew, Prof. Marey, 
and M. Dupuy de Lome, has cleared up many disputed 
points. The researches of these gentlemen have already 
been fully described and illustrated in the “Journal of 
Science.” Our objeCt in again directing the attention of our 
readers to the subject is not therefore to refer to their 
labours, but to give a brief account of the more recent expe- 
riments of Mr. Brearey, the indefatigable Secretary of the 
London Aeronautical Society. Mr. Brearey has been studying 
the subject for some years, and has communicated to the 
Society the results he has obtained, illustrating his paper by 
models the bird-like aCtion of which becomes, as Mr. 
Glaisher remarked, very interesting when we consider that 
it is produced by mechanism. By following up these expe- 
riments our knowledge of the subject must of necessity be 
largely increased, if the problem of flight be not -actually 
solved. 
Mr. Brearey first illustrated flight by means of models 
projected by the hand. The first experiment demonstrated 
flight by gravity alone, showing how the bat, hanging 
by its claws, by simply releasing itself attains its first 
flight. 
Then he showed how the application of force neutralises 
the force of gravity. In this model the screw propelled a 
plane surface, which was represented by wings. It was 
made after the model of M. Penaud, of the French Aero- 
nautical Society, improved as to the screw by Mr. Brearey. 
To show that different forms of surface may be employed 
with instructive results for future work, the author in the 
next model adapted the albatross form of wing, the model 
being about half the length, viz., 7 feet, but the breadth 
being only one-fourth, or 2 inches, that of the albatross 
being about 8 inches. 
This class of experiment may be greatly varied with a 
view to ascertain the weight which can be carried under a 
given surface. According to Mr. Brearey the angle of in- 
m 2 
