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THIS concise little sketch of the art of aerostatics is published at an opportune time - just when attention has been directed to the subject by the alleged successes of the French experts and an exhibition of aeronautics is to be held at the Alexandra Palace. Mr. May gives us an historical resume of the earlier attempts at aerial navigation, and enters into more detail in connection with the latest exploits. So far his work will be useful to those who desire to acquaint themselves with what has already been done, but we fail to find that the author has any practical suggestions to make. He thinks that it would be venturesome to assert that aerial navigation has no future, looking to what it has accomplished during the past century, which is certainly very little indeed; but we are quite ready to agree with the author that it is quite within the scope of discovery to contrive some appliance partly to effect a more practical solution of the difficult problem of balloon steering. Aerial navigation is at present a misnomer, for so long as it is necessary to overcome the effect of gravity by means of a huge Vessel of gas to give ascension power and support in the air, not much will be done in the way of Steering or pursuing a definite course. It that be possible by the aid of sails, rudders, propellers, &c, to exercise some little influence on the direction taken by a balloon; but, after all, it must go the way the wind blows it. Most people will agree with Mr. May when he says that manifestly, aerial travelling will never be cheaper than by railway or steamboat. The book, which is issued in the Specialist's Series, edited by Dr. Paget Higgs, contains illustrations of Giffard's balloon, Tissandier's device, with the propelling apparatus and the plant for making hydrogen, and the more recent device of Renard and Krebs. It will be very useful to those who want to know what has already been done, and have no time to hunt up the records. -English Mechanic and World of Science

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9781539399964

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