THE FIRST MEN TO FLY.
GENIUS OF THE WRIGHTS.
"K."
"A FRIEND'S TRIBUTE.
People who did not know him well were sometimes afraid of him, puzzled by him, surprised or dismayed by his instant reading of their character or thoughts He was like a child in his intuitive quick ness, and arrived at his conclusions by often disconcerting to mental processes all his own, and very mind. But he was almost uncanny ini
thetrains his quickness of perception both of men and things
|
THE HONGKONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY JULY 14TH 1916,
AN IMPRESSION OF THE
GREAT CONFLICT
SALVOES OF HUGE SHELLS.
As a
passed through the ships of the Grand I shall never forget the thrill which Fleet when that inspiring, unlifting, racing message was received from the battle cruiser squadron, many lengnes away:
In the memoirs of Lord Kitchener. The fourth Wilbur Wright Memorial hitherto published there is very little of Lecture on The Life and Work of the personal touch. It would almost scem Wilbur Wright" was given by Mr. Grthat the writers of them did not know the faith Brewer, under the auspices of the man who was affectionately called "K."
[BY ONE WHO WAS THERE"} Acronautical Society of Great Britain at by the Army and by his friends. His lack
War has ita grandeurs as well as its the rooms of the Royal Society of Arts, of popular arts, his contempt of publi-horrors, and it is on the sea that the Adelphi, recently. Lord Montagu of city and oratory, and his indifference to ly manifested. We have fought what in Beaulieu was in the chair..
grand and the terrible are most striking top clamour, all contributed to make him its way was a great fight, although it Lord Montagu said that most of the appear cold and hard, a sort of monolith work of real value to mankind was done with a complex pattern, undecipherable grand and the terrible were present in was not a sailors' battle, and both the outside official eireles and by private in-
to the world and even to the country an almost overpowering degree. dividuals, and it was nearly always
which absolutely trusted him. v posed at its outset both by the pure
op
awful-how awful it was impossible to spectacle it was magnificent, inspiring, scientist and by Government Depart
realise until the lever of action surging ments. The Wrights had the wonderful
through every nerve and fibre of the body. quality which we called intuition. They
had subsided, until the guns were silent had not at their disposal any very great
and the great ships, some battered and means of looking at their problem from
others absolutely untouched, ploughed a purely scientific point of view. were inspired by the single ides of flying, They
home on a placid sen unreal in the still- and they succeeded where many failed.
ness, Mr. Griffith Brewer said that although the brothers had from their early child- hood taken a keen interest in the pos sibilities of human flight, it was not until 1890, when Wilbur was 20, that they took up the problem seriously. was never tired of praising the work of Wilbur Lilienthal and of James Stringfellow, one of the founder members of the Aeronautical Society. Never in the his tory of the world had men attacked the problem with such undaunted courage The Wrights first studied all the books, the tested the data of Lilienthal and often quite unaware of his true nature, Peuple who only knew him a little were other authorities by building ran-carry for he showed himself in intimacy to very ing gliders and risking their lives to few. Latterly he made no new frieruis;ing of the men, and the effect was electri find the truth, which could not all be found by study at the reside. Having the people he liked to be with were the discovered, after two years outdoor ex-men and women he had known well for periments in the air, that the very 20 years, and the three or four houses be axioms on which the art of flight reclined stayed in during his holidays, before the were some correct, some inaccurate, and war absorbed his every moment, were some some absolutely fale, they began always the same and the company was the a lang series of laboratory experiments, sme too. For these intimate friends he and in the most scientific manner made had a very strong affection. Years did thousands of tests with models of various not win him to forget, saduess did not form of curved planes in a little wind-drive him to other more cheerful worlds; tannel and tabulated thousands of read-ones fond of anyone, "K." was always ings which, even to-day, give equally effi-fond of them, never forgot them, and cient results to the more elaborate tables always, in a shy sort of way, wanted to since prepared by learned institutions, show his affection.
EXPERIMENTS BY THE BROTHERS,
"How did you know" he would be asked. "I know and was thinking about it," he would reply quite simply But let his interlocutor know how well he in doing business he very seldom chose to understood him, and many mon have left his presence for the first time wondering at his rather aloof talk, unconscious that Lord Kitchener had read them like an open book,
HUMOUR AND SYMPATHY.
1 am engaged with heavy forces
day for which thousands of our men had
of the enemy
waited, of which they had talked and Hail The Day come at last? The
thought and talked and dreamed with an apparently over-diminishing chance of
the opportunity if such it proved to be? would we be enabled to make full use of the reality. Had the day come, and
One looked on the faces and the bear-
cal
absolute confidence only could be read Eagerness, suppressed excitement, there as they went about their duties with a vigour born of a new hope.
The great ships swung into battle order, and the responsive sen rocked and doing all the speed they know, raced for what were practically enemy waters. churned as the swift massive forms.
The men at the stations, the grim, silent guna pointing menacingly ahead-it is a great sight at any time, but it had a new meaning now, And great as it was,
& dranin immeasurably greater was to be witnessed before the sun dropped behind the horizon of a vexed and wrock-ridden
ser.
thing, a blessed relief when our own guns the guns of the great ships of the Grand Fleet, the grandest ships in the world, manned by the finest world-gave tongue.
sailors in the
The lecturer then described the experi
He was very reserved about the deeper As the Grand Fleet drew near to the ments of the brothers at Kitty Hawk and things of life, though he was talkative scene of action the drifting smoke of the Kill Devil Hills in North Carolizia, enough on all others. He had an innate battle came down with the ceaseless during which they not only made many sense of decency about the serious things mutter of the guns on the wind. successful fights, but had simultaneously which made him a wonderfully sympathe keenness of the men became almost un the opportunity of studying the fight of tic companion to those who were unbearably intense, and it was, if any- The Buzzards. The story of their failures happy, or ill, or even only troubled, for showed that only extreme optimists could he was never intrusive, and yet he showed succeed in experiments of this kind, in he was sorry. In daily intercourse he which every obstacle surmounted left one had a sense of humour, a hatred of more behind without disclosing the sum tosh, and a simplicity of nature which ber, still ahead. Their successes, on the made him fine company, and in the great other hand, were an overwhelming proof world he always seemed the most import of the soundness of their ideas and their ant person present, the natural contre of From every yardarm the White Ensigo extraordinary skill.
On one Occasion Orville remained in the air for 10min ise, merely gliding against an up-cur rent. It had often been said, that the Wrights made a mystery of their experi- ments. This was wholly opposed to their real characters. They naturaly desired to because all who tried
gravity around which others turned. He appreciated fully the support he had from his country during this great and grave time. "I have made a lot or mis takes," he said to someone this spring, and added that "the country still seems to give me a great deal of confidence.
experiment qued at-and continua) He had no illusions about these mistakes, fought close in to the foe, and if any
to fly were jeering is apt to detract from useful thought. Afterwards, when people re- cognized that their work was sane, they were still obliged to seek cclusion in arder to be able to work at all.
and was quite aware that the politicians had occasionally entangled him in their neta. were like he asked a friend this year, Did you know what these people "I had no idea before."
action as they might go into manœuvres. The ships of the Grand Fleet went into
few, the flag which is to the sailor as the tattered colours were in the days of old to a regiment hard pressed. had gone hard with the battle cruisers That it
to be proud of, a fight which will live was apparent, but one ship cannot fight a dozen. They had fought a great fight
thing is certain in the uncertainties of longer than many a victory. They had
naval battle, it is this, that they gave at along the line of German ships some least as good as they got. We passed miles away, and let off broadside after masses of smoke, black, yellow, green, of broadside. The air was heavy with every colour, which drifted slowly be tween the opposing lines, hiding some- times friend and sometimes for. enemy ships were firing very fast, but watching the ships in front one came to
The
decidedly erratic. Again and again conclusion that the shooting was salvoes of shells fell far short of the
With regard to the subsequent patent litigation, no licence had ever been re- could be made without a word about his No sketch of "K., however slight, fused under the British Wright patents, devoted friend and secretary, Colonel and at the present time no impediment Fitz Gerald. Never was there a stronger existed for the free use of the invention or more loyal affection than that which for manufacturers to make machines for these two men had for each other. "Fitz" the British Army or Navy-the only real seemed to have sacrificed his whole milt market for aeroplanes in Great Britain. tary career when he went to Cairo with The friendly aeton brought against the Lord Kitchener in a more or less civilian British Government for infringement had been settled, in view of the war, by capacity. But with the war cane the op-mark, to be followed immediately by the smallest san compatible with real portunity for the great gifts, the charm, others which screamed past high in the used the invention without having paid vive his chief. They rest together a recognition. Gerniany and Austria also the high character, the utter devotion to duty. He would not have wished to sur for it. Lord Northcliffe, of hearing the terms of settlement, had written, loss to all who know and loved them, think that Wright has behaved more than enshrined together in the hearts of their generously-nobly, in fact." No one countrymen Times. should attempt to allur any particular portion of the great discovery to one or other of the brothers--they worked perfect unison.
of
Lord Montagu, in moving a vote of thanks to the lecturer, said he had told them any things made known to the world for the first time.
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I watched the fron Duke swinging after broadside, wicked tougues of flame through the seas, letting off broadside. leaping through clouds of smoke. I saw the fron Duke, and I shall never forget. The din of battle was stunning, stupend- heaviest guns in the world gave tongue. ous, deafening. as hundreds of the OBTAINABLE
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108
in Wright I have closely followed the his tory of the hundred years of aeroplane experiments, and I have the unswerving conviction that the credit of the first flying like waterspouts, mast high, as the Great masses of water rose in the air aeroplane is due lo the Wright brothers, salvoes of German shella fell short or and from the point of practical flying to over. Now and then a shell found a with me that these two brothers behaved its effect to each man at a time like this. nobody else. I think every one will agree mark, but left me absolutely cold as to in a splendid and handsome manner to A down may be knocked out at one's Great Britain. The Wrights were Ameside. It makes no difference. It is war. ricans, not English people, but they were Americans of English descent. They had day was that of a destroyer half a mile One of the many sad sights seen that a great affection for this country, and away. She had been badly hit, and she their sister, in writing to me the other gave a message which a sailor does not day, enaid We here make no pretence like to see I am in a sinking condi of being neutral. We are heart and soul tion." It was pitiful, but there was with England and her Allies in this none to help. Again, it is war; and the great struggle." (Cheers.) That family sailors on a doomed ship, Ured in the showed their sympathy by taking a bag school of chance, are the last to complain. garly sum for one of the greatest inven- It was impossible to see what was hap- tions in the wrold..
pening among the ships of the ships of the foe. The obscuring smoke effectually LORD MONTAGE'S CAMPAIGN.
prevented that, but at intervals a kindly
b. m Major-General R. M. Ruck, in propos ships became visible. That the best ships satur, 18-32
wind blew a lane in the amoke, and the ri 14741 7:9 ing & vote of thanks to the Chairman of the enemy
56 3 2 said Lord Montagu might be consider parent, but how many there were neither San
10 18 39
forecasted in the most accurate way many The number was certainly large. It was were engaged was ap
8.2 1 61 30 ed one of the pioneers, because he had the eys nor the glass could make out of the great events which had happened equally impossible to see what damage
10 44 4 0 1 15 m 2183 m.
17
Lord Northcliffe, who seconded the motion, said:-I take particular-ples sure in coming here to-day and second ing the vote of thanks to Mr. Griffith Brewer, because I had the honour of knowing not only the brothers,
two Wright but their sister Catherine. Many of you will recall the fact that when they arrived in Europe very few believed that they were able to fly at all Mr. Griffith Brewer will remember that great day when Wilbur, after all the great care he took in preparing his machine-after, I think, a fortnight of Preparation-rose from the earth and, to the immense astonishment of the French people gathered there, who had been waiting for days, rose in the air and disappeared.A
The motion was agreed to
VERIT
Mon,
We are so accustomed to seeing flying machines nowadays that it is rather diff cult to remember the enthusiasm, fascina tion, and excitement of seeing a man fy for the first time. I remember that in flight during the present war. They our ships were causing only the High Thes
also recognised that Lord Northcliffe was Command knew the progress of the one of the first and
first aeroplane. It was very rough, very simple. The meter was not only one of
H'kong
Time
Mean
LOW WATER
H'kong.
Тоше
it in.
b.
Height
Right,
4 820 3 28 09
w 10 175 m
03:
96
048
4 6 m b
Thurs, 20
very small.power, but, from the point of of flight Principal supporters battle. At one time two vessels red with wed
the
10 a 6 1 6 50♣ 1 2 1698 1597 20 1 B
view of modern flying machines, very ed the motion, which was agreed to.
Brigadier-General F, G. Stone second ramark of a fellow-officer,
fire gleamed through the smoke, and the crude. The Wright brothers, however, knew that their, machine could fly.
These beg Lord Montagu, in responding, express one's own view sy
gure are done for, anyhow, confirmed took no risks Every part of hated his satisfaction at seeing Lord Noth It is a curious feeling to be in
They machine was perfectly made from the cliffe present. He went to Le Mans to midst of a battle and not to know to practical point of view. After more than see Wright fly in October, 1908, and he which side fortune leans Where only awent down. The destroyer raced for a hundred years of experiment with aero-aw, as anyone must who had a spark few ships are engaged it is different, safety. The commander and the officers planes, these two brothers were the first of Hight. No one could tell tosi hay Our own losses are known with some two people in the world who made a machine to fly and few it. I make that for it might go. He was glad to hear certain: Thus, at one time, it was today how degree of exactness, but even that is un- remark emphatically, because there is one good wishes for his campaign which he thought that the Zion had been lost, ascess when a shell hit the bridge with were standing on the bridge indulging aspect of the matter to which Mr. Grifth would always try to carry out in a rea- ahe did not answer calls; it transpired
in mutual congratulations at their suc- Brewer did not call attention, and that Bonable and proper manner to wake up that her wireless had been destroyed It was curious to note the effect of the
dreadful exect. the attempt of people to rob the Wright deal more attention than they were of the masquite craft, and both sides the water soon looked as if it were under
the country to the need of giving & great twothers of the priority of this invention, giving today to this subject. His desire made dss of it to the full. It was in this the influence of a gale, so great was the With dusk came the great opportunity fight on the sea. Calm at the beginning, We have heard very little of that, in England, but a prophet is not without was that both Services and the Govern-way that one of the saddest of many turmoil caused by the ploughing of the honour save in his own country, and in the United States there has been a long it time, trouble, and energy, and exercise ships. She soon got into offective range,
ment should realize that this was a mat- sad incidents occurred. A destroyer, true leviathan ships. The sex also seemed to ter which might, if we did not spend on to its name, dashed for the big enemy be stiff with fish killed by the shells burst- and persistent attempt to originality of Wilbar and Orville foresight, lead to Great Britain being an and loosed her torpedoes with deadly by the thousand floated listlessly here,
belittle the
ing in the water. Cod, great and sun!), island no longer, and to our invasion effect on a German battleship That ship there, and everywhore. What a harvest (Continued on next Column) by the air instead of by the sco
(Continued on next ColumnL)
for fishermen Scotsman,
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