through space, like the ball was thrown, or by
some sort of impulse or reaction mechanism on
the air-ship itself. It could get no support from
the atmosphere.

LIGHT MACHINES UNSTABLE.--Gradually the
question of weight is solving itself. Aviators are
beginning to realize that momentum is a wonderful
property, and a most important element in
flying. The safest machines are those which have
weight. The light, willowy machines are subject
to every caprice of the wind. They are notoriously
unstable in flight, and are dangerous even
in the hands of experts.

THE APPLICATION OF POWER.--The thing now to
consider is not form, or shape, or the distribution
of the supporting surfaces, but HOW to apply
the power so that it will rapidly transfer a machine
at rest to one in motion, and thereby get
the proper support on the atmosphere to hold it
in flight.

THE SUPPORTING SURFACES.--This brings us to
the consideration of one of the first great problems
in flying machines, namely, the supporting
surfaces,--not its form, shape or arrangement,
(which will be taken up in their proper places), but
the area, the dimensions, and the angle necessary
for flight.