to trust himself to it. Tempting offers were made to pilots of
world-wide fame, but either the risk was thought to be too great,
or it was believed that no practical good would come of the
experiment. At last the inventor approached M. Pegoud, who
undertook to make the descent. This was accomplished from a
great height with perfect safety. It seems highly probable that
in the near future the parachute will form part of the equipment
of every aeroplane and air-ship.



CHAPTER VII
Some British Inventors of Air-ships

The first Englishman to invent an air-ship was Mr. Stanley
Spencer, head of the well-known firm of Spencer Brothers, whose
worksare at Highbury, North London.

This firm has long held an honourable place in aeronautics, both
in the construction of air-craft and in aerial navigation.
Spencer Brothers claim to be the premier balloon manufacturers in
the world, and, at the time of writing, eighteen balloons and two
dirigibles lie in the works ready for use. In these works there
may also be seen the frame of the famous Santos-Dumont air-ship,
referred to later in this book.

In general appearance the first Spencer air-ship was very similar
to the airship flown by Santos-Dumont; that is, there was the
cigar-shaped balloon, the small engine, and the screw propellor
for driving the craft forward.