Aeroplanes have been constructed for the most part in Europe, especially
in France. There may be said to be only one factory in America, that
of Herring-Curtiss, at Hammondsport, N.Y., as the Wright place at
Dayton is very small and only turns out motors and experimenting
machines, and cannot be called a regular factory. The Wright machines
are now manufactured by a French syndicate. It is said that the Wrights
will have an American factory at work in a short time. The French-made
aeroplanes have given good satisfaction. These machines cost from
$4,000 to $5,000, and generally have three cylinder motors developing
from 25 to 35 horse power.

The latest model of Bleriot known as No. 12 has beaten the time record
of Glenn Curtiss' biplane with its 60 horse power motor. The Farman
machine or the model in which he made the world's duration record in
his three hour and sixteen minutes flight at Rheims, is one of the
best as well as the cheapest of the French makes. Without the motor
it cost but $1,200. It has a surface twenty-five meters square, is
eight meters long and seven-and-a-half meters wide, weighs 140 kilos,
and has a motor which develops from 25 to 50 horse power.

The Wright machines cost $6,000. They have four cylinder motors of 30
horse power, are 12-1/2 meters long, 9 meters wide and have a surface
of 30 square meters. They weigh 400 kilos. In this country they cost
$7,500 exclusive of the duty on foreign manufacture.

The impetus being given to aviation at the present time by the prizes
offered is spurring the men-birds to their best efforts.

It is prophesied that the aeroplane will yet attain a speed of 300
miles an hour. The quickest travel yet attained by man has been at the