the one which was shown at Olympia a couple of years ago, and it will be remembered that the car of that machine was a semi-enclosed affair with the balloon above and the petrol tanks underneath, so that in the event of gas escaping from either it could collect in the car and go through all the necessary variations of quantities until it formed a proper explosive mixture, which could then be ignited by a spark from the ignition or even by a whiff of gas drifting underneath the car to the exhausts of the motors. There was also a dynamo inside the car for the wireless apparatus and lighting, and a spark from the brushes of this dynamo might equally cause an explosion. Poor little Vaniman was one of those strange human products of the United States who seem to be able to command unlimited financial support in that extraordinary country. He had a certain amount of rather unpractical cleverness, and an unlimited confidence in himself which made him singularly convincing to anybody who did not know rather more about the subject than he did. At times he produced really good ideas, and it is quite possible that with a strong man over him he might, if he had lived, have done really useful work.

Miss Quimby's Accident.

It now seems fairly well established that what happened in the accident which caused the deaths of Miss Quimby and her passenger, Mr. W. A. P. Willard, was that they were gliding down steeply from 1,000 feet or so, on their way back from the Boston Light, when the machine dived into a hole in the air, with the result that the tail went up suddenly and they were both pitched out. It is reported that when relieved of their weight the Blériot picked up its own gliding angle and came down in the water without much damage. Miss Quimby and Mr. Willard must have hit the water quite hard enough to kill them, without considering that the water was shallow where they struck it. Their bodies were recovered later on.

Flying in Manchester.

The flying in Manchester during the last two week-ends by Lieut. Parke, R.N., on the Aero at Fallowfield has created locally quite a large amount of interest in aviation, and the question of starting an aerodrome in the neighbourhood of Manchester is being seriously considered. There has been a so-called aerodrome at Trafford Park for some considerable time, but apparently it is unsuitable for flying, as neither those responsible for the Daily Mail flights nor those arranging for Lieut. Parke's flights would use the ground. The International Correspondence Schools also thought of making Trafford Park a landing place for Mr. Slack, but eventually decided that he should land at Didsbury instead. The Manchester Aero Club, which, like many others, started with a great flourish a couple of years ago, has apparently fallen into a state of innocuous desuetude, and so far as one can gather the only interest the club has taken in aviation lately is to object to flights being made at Fallowfield, reporting that the ground there was not suitable for a starting or landing place. It certainly seems peculiar that the only thing an aero club, which is supposed to possess an aerodrome, can do is to attempt to stop flying elsewhere. It is to be hoped that the newly-born enthusiasm will lead to a more active policy on the part of the said club.

with the result that Mr. B. C. Hucks on his 70-h.p. Blériot made a brilliant flight from London to Birmingham, covering the 110 miles in about 87 minutes. He left Hendon at 2.18 p.m., and landed at Tyseley, to the south-west of Birmingham, at 3.45 p.m. He was forced to descend at Tyseley owing to valve trouble in the 70-h.p. Gnôme, an engine which seems to suffer much in this way. After his arrival there was much rain, but he managed to give an exhibition flight in the evening.

The I.C.S. Educational Tour.

Writing on Monday concerning Mr. Slack's progress in the Midlands, Mr. Seymour Norton, referring to the cause of Mr. Slack's delay at Birmingham, says :-"In the first place, we had not a spare skid in England for the machine, and so had to telegraph to Levallois-Perret for a new one, which did not arrive in London ti'l Thursday afternoon, though sent off at once. In the meantime, however, the Wolseley Tool and MotorCar Company had nobly come to the assistance of our aviator and had straightened out the skid and remade the damaged steel springs, but the weather was so bad that flight was impossible.

"On Thursday evening, however, conditions improved, and Slack flew from the Birmingham Corporation Playing Fields, Castle Bromwich, to the Stone Flat, Stafford. The distance, measured from the Ordnance map, is 26 miles, and Slack covered this distance in 24 minutes, rising at 6.12 and alighting at 6.36 p.m. The weather was very misty, necessitating low flight. At Stafford he was given a most enthusiastic welcome by the Mayor and Corporation and many local notabilities. As the Assizes were on the town was full, and immense interest was taken in our machine.

"On Friday the weather was gusty and unfavourable, and, although the machine was brought out preparatory to a start in the evening, there was such a heavy mist over the country to the northward that it was decided not to attempt the flight, more especially as everybody in Stafford wanted Slack to stay over Saturday on account of a pageant that was being held.

"On Saturday evening, after having been an object of interest to thousands of people, Slack flew to Manchester, alighting north of Didsbury, not far from where Paulhan descended on the first London to Manchester flight. The distance as the crow flies is about 43 miles, and this was covered in 43 minutes, the weather being gusty and misty. As this portion of the journey was made across the Five Towns,' the aviator had to fly at a considerable height.

Mr. Slack sends word to THE AEROPLANE by Mr. Seymour Norton that his flight from Hendon to Bedford was only the second time he had ever been outside the aerodrome. It was also only the second time he had flown that machine, and it was only the eighth flight he had made in a 50 h.p. Blériot. These facts are distinctly interesting, as they show that Mr. Slack is naturally a flier of the best class.

Mr. Slack further says that in his flight from Ashby-de-laZouch to Birmingham, he was brought down at Atherstone by a thunderstorm. He saw the storm some miles ahead, and endeavoured to pass round it, but he was unable to escape it, and was dropped something like 400 ft. straight away. Mr. Slack particularly points out how much he owes to wearing a belt to hold him into the machine, for he says that on a number of occasions he would certainly have been thrown, if not out of the machine, at any rate into such a position that he could not work his controls properly if he had not been held in his seat by the belt.

Don't attempt to learn Aviation as you would learn Cycling. Ensure success by getting first a thorough technical knowledge of the whole mechanism of the aeroplane.

There is no better way of getting that groundwork of success than by taking an

I.C.S. Course in Aviation

You are taken from the first principles to the most advanced data. By means of the simplified, easily-mastered text books and instruction papers, your progress is rapid in acquiring sound and accurate knowledge. Two I.C.S. Aviation students write:

"It gives us great pleasure to bear testimony to the value of I.C.S. Instruction. We have taken your I.C.S. Course for some time and have greatly benefited by it. We have attended one of the best technical schools in the kingdom, but taking everything into consideration it has no comparison with the Course we are now taking with the I.C.S." H. H. JAMES, Narberth, Pem. J. H. JAMES,

SEND FOR

FREE BOOK

giving all information of these popular Aviation Courses. It contains full synopses of the courses, all particulars regarding the methods of study, how the course is conducted and what YOUR chances of success are.

Send for a Copy To-day

or send for particulars of I.C.S. Courses in Engineering, Business Training, Architecture, etc.

International Correspondence Schools, Ltd.,

Dept. 336/C92, International Buildings, Kingsway, W.C.

stability, would glide down into the water as near as possible, so that it could be picked up by the same derrick, none the worse for its bath.

If the wings were much damaged by alighting in a heavy sea, new ones could be very soon fitted at quite a nominal cost (compared with the cost of a 12 in. shell).

The advantage of this system over another method which has been suggested, by which the aeroplane was to run down a long wire rope, and kept up laterally by two more wire ropes, is that the boat boom can be trained out either side of the ship, so that the launch could always be made up into the wind (a very important feature).

As to the design of the aeroplane itself, it would have to be a far better job than is commonly seen to-day. This would come automatically in the making of large numbers, which could be standardised. Also, it is hoped that they will be designed by engineers, instead of by navigators, as in the case of a certain airship.

Firstly, they must be strong and small. The engine should be designed for economy of oil and petrol consumption, and not sacrificed to the god "h.p. per lb.,' as in the rotary.

They must also be able to withstand hard handling, and be fool-proof.

Owing to their being shot off at their natural flying speed, only a very small camber of wing will be necessary (i.e., that necessary for high velocity flight). Thus they can be made highly efficient and approach the ideal.

Land machines at present have to be able to lift at a much slower speed than their highest, owing to getting off the ground, hence their comparatively low efficiency.

As to armament, there is no reason why a small Q.F. should not be carried, to destroy airships or fight other aeroplanes.

The Impending Retirement of Mr. Hubbard. The following letter has been sent to the members of the Aeronautical Society by Major-General R. M. Ruck, Chairman of the Council. It is to be hoped that it will meet with generous response, for Mr. Hubbard's services to the Society at its most critical period cannot be valued too highly:-

"It is proposed to present Mr. Hubbard, on his retirement in August, with a mark of appreciation of the invaluable services that he has rendered to the Society during the last four years. Had it not been for his unwavering zeal, not only as Secretary, but also in an honorary capacity as joint Editor of the Journal and as Librarian, it is certain that the position of the Society would be materially different from what it is to-day.

66

The fact that the remuneration attaching to the post of Secretary is so small as to render the position virtually an honorary one, serves but to emphasise the lasting indebtedness of the Society to Mr. Hubbard, and the Council hopes that every

member will express his personal appreciation of it by subscribing to the fund.

Subscriptions (from 1s. upwards) should be sent to Mr. B. G Cooper, c/o Aeronautical Society, 11, Adam Street, Adelphi." The Aeronautical Society.

WILBUR WRIGHT MEMORIAL FUND.-The following is a list of donations received:

Amount previously acknowledged

Messrs. Short Bros.

The Hon. Maurice Egerton

M. Atkinson Adam, Esq.

The Right Hon. A. J. Balfour, M.P.
Col. J. E. Capper, C.B., R.E.

...

Dugald Clerk, Esq., Capt. E. M. Maitland,
Sir Hiram Maxim, Col. H. E. Raw-
son, C.B., R.E. (1 1s. each)
W. H. Dines, Esq.,

H. D. Cutler, Esq. J. Green, Esq.

...

£269 5 6 50

20

552

4

555550

O 10 6

0 5

T. O'B. HUBBARD (Secretary).

The Uses of Staggered Planes.

Several readers of THE AEROPLANE have written asking for an explanation of the use of staggered planes in biplanes, that is to say planes in which the upper one, instead of being vertically above the lower, is either in front of or behind it.

In the use of staggered planes with the upper plane forward, there are two very distinct advantages. Firstly, it brings the centre of pressure of the whole machine forward, and, in order to make the machine balance, it is necessary to bring the centre of gravity so far forward that in a tractor screw machine the engine is right out in front of the lower plane, and the pilot and observer have a clear view down over the edge.

This advantage, of course, does not exist in the enginebehind type, but in both types there is the advantage that when it is necessary to land on very rough ground, where rolling would probably upset the machine, it is possible, owing to the large horizontal surface exposed, to "pancake" with comparative safety, for in the ordinary type of machine the surface available for a parachute effect is practically that of the lower plane only, the upper plane being blanketed," whereas with staggered planes both surfaces take effect.

66

In the few machines in which the rear plane is staggered behind the lower one, the idea is simply to obtain greater lifting efficiency, because it is the opinion of the designers that the air deflected downwards by the upper plane of a biplane interferes with the lifting effect of the top surface of the lower plane, and, therefore, putting the upper plane back is supposed to give the lower plane a lift free from interference by the upper.