Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 28.djvu/26

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18
THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

an engine exerting one third of a horse-power, boiler, water, and everything. Of course, even if the model had been a success, no large machine constructed in such a way could be of practical value.

The machine designed by Mr. Moy in 1874 was somewhat similar to Henson's and Stringfellow's. There are two inclined planes, one behind the other, and two horizontal screws. The necessary speed to lift the machine was to be obtained by a preliminary run along the

Fig. 7.—Moy's Aërial Steamer.

ground on the wheels underneath. In coming to earth again we should only need to look out for some favorable locality, strike tangentially, and the resistance of the wheels over stones, fences, and the like would speedily bring us to rest.

These are the more important inventions of this class—that is, self-raising and self-propelling machines—and it must be confessed the results are far from encouraging. M. Pénaud and others have constructed flying models, but on too small a scale to be of much practical importance.

But still there are the birds; they completely refute the arguments of those who say, "It is impossible to build a successful flying-machine."

MODERN SCIENCE AND MODERN THOUGHT.[1]

By S. LAING, M. P.

LIV.


On yet we trust that somehow good
Will be the final goal of ill,
To pangs of Nature, sins of will,
Defeets of doubt, and taints of blood;

That nothing walks with aimless feet;
That not one life shall be destroyed,
Or cast as rubbish to the void,

When God hath made the pile complete;
  1. From Chapter VII of a work, under this title, published by Chapman & Hall, London, 1885,