Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 64.djvu/152

148 too short a Hue, so that she was blanketed by the big hull of the steamer and therefore received but a small fraction of the wind of motion.

In spite of these two serious disadvantages, however, as the steamer gathered headway, the great kite first trembled for a few moments, and then rose gracefully from the water and flew steadily the full length of her line.

Fig. 19 shows the kite as she rose from the water after being lowed a short distance. The rain was pouring down in such torrents at the time that my other pictures were not successful.

The experiment was thus a success, and showed conclusively that Dr. Bell has obtained a man-lifting kite, or flying machine, that will rise of itself. If a pull will make the kite rise, there is no reason to doubt that an equally powerful push, such as propellers would give, would be equally successful in causing the kite to ascend.

Though the tests have proved that Mabel II. can easily carry a man and engine, no actual ascents have been made this summer. When ascensions are made the man will sit in the center of the open space between the two bridges (see Fig. 16).

One of the beauties of Dr. Bell's models is that in every one there is a large roomy space in the center where the operator and his passengers can sit. This position is much safer and more comfortable than