turalist and man of science, many rare feasts of novelty will be added; the geographer and mineralogist will be amply gratified by their new discoveries; and the air, with proper management, seems to offer a more acceptable passage than the frozen oceans of the northern and southern regions, to the hitherto upexplored poles of our planet. To crown all, it will be rendered subservient to the distribution of the glad tidings of salvation to every corner of the earth; it will diffuse civilization to the uninstructed barbarian. May it be virtuous civilization!

The grand question with all rational people of good, sound commun sense will now be,-Is this mode of transporting person and property a safe one? The reply which we will offer beforehand is this,-By no means safe to the major part of the present generation: to a small part it may in time become safe, and to a very considerable proportion of succeeding generations it may be so familiar as to be equally safe with skating, hunting, shooting, cricketplaying, sailing, swimming, and many other gymnastic exercises. Nor is it at all improbable that boys will be seen to fly over the Thames before men will be able to complete the tunnel under it; however valuable that great work may prove, when executed.

When the first practical airiner shall have shown with what ease and facility he treads upon and sportively gambols in the elastic fluidity of our common atmosphere, or even rides in safety upon the very storm, he will secure to himself the renown and eclat that no future airiner can boast: he will be the first of all the aërial tribe, and regarded as the fatber of the science.

It is not, of course, a recreation to be taken up as soon as explained, but an art only to be acquired by early and long-continued practice, by such practice as has enabled the rude native of Greenland to perform those prodigies of skill and valour which he exhibits in his kaiyack;-now contending, on the

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giddy top of the mountain wave, with the unstable elements, and in the next moment plunged into the yawning abyss of the sea; and yet adroitly avoiding each impending danger, and steering his frail machine in safety to its destined haven.

In order to commence practising, it will be necessary to select such pupils as are noted for strength, courage, quickness, and lightness of weight,-though the last property in the airiner may be considered of the least importance, as the means to be adopted in transporting his person are ample enough to convey the heaviest man in the most effectual way, provided he has the experience, presence of mind, strength, courage, and address, to conduct the necessary apparatus that he will have to use. Being propelled almost entirely by the wind, he will have about the same control over its movements as a man has over a boat, while sailing in it, but NO MORE. The management, therefore, must depend upon his skill; and when the main acting power ceases, be will find, as in the case of the man in the boat, that his own feeble efforts will avail but very little in forwarding him on his

voyage.

To attain this wonderful skill, the learner must be assisted in a similar way to that by which some learn to swim, by artificial suspension. lu this case, it is absolutely necessary, as the risk is greater, and there are few or no precedents to guide him, or masters ready taught, from whom the pupil can derive instruction and encouragement; it will literally be all matter of experiment with bim.

The mode of suspension may be by a cord attached to a balance weight, and supported by what we will term a triumphal arch (which pame we trust success will render appropriate), as represented in the sketch, fig. 1. It may be formed in various ways; but that which appears to be most likely to answer, is to erect two or more masts, with or without the assistance of large trees (while standing and growing), and to secure firmly their upright poși

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tion, by means of ropes and pulleys attached to the ground, outside the triumphal arch.

A balloon made stationary at a great height would give infinitely more scope for the exertions of the airiner, though more expensive, and not so safe; or he might be assisted by being suspended from a small moveable balloon, while learning: but when on a voyage in an opposite direction to the wind, he must not be encumbered with a balloon.

The machine which is to carry him, may be denominated an Air car: it is constructed on such a principle as to insure an erect position when clear of all obstacles below; the two wing-sails, as well as the

kite-sail, will probably be best made of fir and cane, or whalebone, covered with oiled canvas, muslin, or silk, stretched like the cloth of an umbrella, except that the cloth must be under the frame. The position of the kite-sail is to be under the control of, and varied by the application of the man's hands to two small windlasses, each of them having a spring pressing on the extremity of its circumference, and keeping it stationary, except when the kite-sail lines are to be moved; he then slacks the spring. One of the windlasses commands the head and tail of the kite sail, and the other governs each side of it, as in fig. 2.

Fig 2

The wing sails are to be elevated by the person's weight on the saddle, and to be depressed by his feet placed in the stirrups, well secured to them by straps and buckles, as to a pair of skates.

The wing-levers cross each other, and are fixed in a universal joint,

directly over his head, and being crooked in a backward direction, give the wings an upright inclination while rising.

By the stirrup leathers being attached to the fore part of the wing, it instantly assumes a horizontal position when struck by the

foot of the airiner, and, of course, its power is applied to elevate and raise him higher in the air at every stroke of the feet.

It is not attempted to do more than suggest the rudiments of the art; it is left to others to introduce inuumerable improvements, when practice and experience shall have furnished a large mass of information in detail. A great variety of sails and other requisite contrivances will be added, by the practical airiner, to the simple air-car that we now propose to introduce. One essential addition will be some ingenious method of suddenly expanding and contracting the sails while in action. The formation of a lady's fan will, perhaps, give one of the best ready made ideas of the proper construction of a wing artificially made to imitate the natural wing of a bird.

The weight of his person being entirely sustained by his legs, and on the saddle, is decidedly better than the method formerly adopted of applying the arms; it is this grand feature in the invention which gives it a superiority over all former attempts.

Though the wind is frequently strong enough to take the airiner up into the air without any exertion of his, in calm weather he will frequently have to apply all his strength. When seated on the saddle, ready to ascend, with his face to the wind, aud with the extremities of his wings elevated at about an angle of forty-five degrees, his first effort will be to make as great a spring, or jump, as he is capable of, which will cause his wings to strike the air so forcibly as probably to raise him to the beight of three feet. By the time he has got into that situation, the weight of his whole person again rests on the saddle, and brings up his wings. It is scarcely necessary to say his next step will be to again apply his whole weight, by means of his feet, to the wings, and then to let his person rest on the saddle. By repeating those acts alternately, be is to get himself to such an elevation as to clear every obstacle to bis progress; when with a sufficient and

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favourable wind he may proceed, with very little more exertion than occasionally varying the position of the air-car, it being useless to attempt a passage with a foul wind. Should he find, that even after having attained to a high altitude, he is still becalmed, he will of course only exercise his wings so much as to retard his too rapid return to the earth; and when very near it, if in danger of descending too quickly, his exertions would be increased accordingly; and it may be presumed that, in the event of his strength not being too much impaired by long exertion, his power to prevent a sudden concussion with the earth will be quite sufficient, and land him safely, as he still retains the same means of raising himself as at first.

We do not pretend to say which is the best form for an air-car; that depends entirely on the kind of employment it is to be occupied in: vessels and birds are of different constructions, according to their different callings and habits.

The airiner's attention must be wholly engrossed in constructing, in the first instance, a machine that he can rely on for carrying him, and, above all, landing him, in perfect safety; for however be may be buffeted about while up in the air, it is of no consequence, so long as he can secure his safe arrival on earth at all times.

When the airiner is about to alight, (which must always be with his face to the wind, on the windward side of a large open field), and finds his feet touch the ground, be will instantly baul down the wingsails, secure them to the saddle, and immediately give the head of the kite sail a sudden inclination to the earth, which is assisted and accelerated by the wind. Should be perform this duty in a negligent and slovenly way, he will of course be in great danger.

Fig. 3 describes the young airiner in the act of alighting on the earth; in fact, it shows bis very last movement; for when within, say two or three yards, of touching the ground with his feet, in order to

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make his descent as easy as possible, he throws his feet forcibly down in the stirrups, seizes the stirrup lines with his hands, and thereby brings down the wing-sails so suddenly, that the air under them not having time to escape, his weight is opposed, and the descent of his person retarded at pleasure,

Though the kite-sail may be found indispensable to assist any one in transporting ponderous matter, it will be quite superfinous, very im proper, and exceedingly dangerous, for the use of the learner, who should not at first be allowed to rise more thau three feet from the ground. With his air-car, he may be sup

Fig 3

posed to weigh, altogether, not more than 120 lbs., which may, by means of the balance-weight and suspension line,be reduced to 100lbs., to 50lbs., to 20 lbs., or so completely counterpoised as to weigh nothing at all. This will do well enough while he uses the short wings; but as his powers increase, and he becomes an efficient airiner, he must

practise under the triumphal arch with large wing sails.

(To be concluded in our next.)

SUBSTITUTE FOR ISINGLASS.

A correspondent questions whe ther it is generally kuown that the >kins of soles, boiled in a little water, will produce a thick, strong jelly, applicable to every purpose of common singlass. "If the fishmongers," he observes, "were in the habit of skinning them for their customers, and banging them on a string, they would soon become dry enough for packing, and might be come a source of some prolit. The

skins of other sea fish might, doubtless, answer the same purpose; but I have not had an opportunity of trying them."

PATENT LAWS.

We are happy to find, that the notice which we took last week of the Parliamentary proceedings in regard to these Laws has had the desired effect, and that we are by no means likely to stand alone in our opposition to the extraordinary doctrine broached by certain members of the legislature, that the more unattainable patents are, the better. Evidence is pouring in from all quarters, and from individuals of the highest authority in a matter of this kind, in support of our proposition, that to make patents cheap, is to remove the most pressing grievance of which inventors have to complain. Of eleven letters which we have received on the subject, there is but one which maintains an opposite opinion; and that on the whim

sical ground, that if we "make patents cheap, every person will be taking out patents," which is in other words to say, that if we place patents within the reach of every person, every person will be doing his best to enrich his country with some new invention or improvement! A dreadful consequence truly. We regret that so absurd a piece of reasoning should have for its author, a gentleman to whom our readers have been indebted for many able and instructive communications; but we are not without a hope that, in an age of converts like this, he may yet be added to the number of those who have lived to think themselves in the wrong, and had the manliness to acknowledge it.

The intention which we announced, of calling a public meeting on the subject, has been generally approved of, as calculated to give a degree of concentration to individual opinions, which must have the best effect on the deliberations of the Parliamentary Committee. The arrangements for it are in such progress, that we believe we may positively state that it will be held in the course of next week. Of the time and place of meeting, a more particular notice will be given in the Newspapers.

We subjoin, in the meanwhile, a few questions, which may serve as useful materials for thinking, to all who take any interest in the subject.

A few Questions for the Consideration of those who think that Patents should be expensive.

Is it expedient to discourage the increase of useful inventions?

Can an enormous tax on useful inventions operate otherwise than to their serious discouragement?

Is not the imposing of a heavy tax on the disclosure of useful inventions the same thing as granting a bounty for their concealment ?

Which is it fairest to do (if it is necessary to do either)-to tax the author of a useful invention, or to tax those who benefit by it?

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Is it decent that a person who makes a present of a useful invention to his country should pay enormously for the liberty of doing so?

Ought not all persons who deserve equally well of the public to be equally the objects of public favour? And in what respect is the writer of a book more deserving of being lightly taxed than the inventor of a new machine?

Is the power of adding to the wealth and resources of a country, by the improvement of its arts and manufactures, a power of so peculiarly hurtful a description, that it should be taxed as nothing else is taxed?

Is the right of a poor man to the fruits of his skill and industry, so different, from that of a rich man, that those only ought to profit by an invention, who can afford to pay exorbitantly for a licence to make use of it?

What purpose can it serve, but one of direct oppression, to impose on any individual, a tax of such magnitude, that it amounts, in effect, to an interdiction of the exercise of the talents which nature has given him?

If you have a piece of waste land which you wish to convert into a fruitful field, on what conditions would you let it? Would you insist that the tenant should only dig it with a golden spade?

Ought taxes to be imposed for any other than one of two reasons, -either that so much money is wanted for the public service, or that something injurious to the public welfare may be discouraged?

How does it contribute either to the public service or to the public welfare, to allow the officers of the Crown to extract, for their private benefit, some thousands of pounds annually, from the pockets of meritorious, though too generally needy, inventors?

By which would the public profit most-by perpetuating certain fees of office which exist only for the sake of individuals, or by allowing men of genius to labour untaxed and free, for their own and their country's good?

R.

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