V
SON OF ADMIRAL EVANS " |
Although Hear Admiral Uobley D. Evans re
linquished the command of the battleship fleet
a short tlmo ago , yet there Is another member of
the family In the naval service and at present at
tached to the battleship Louisiana , with the fleet
at San Francisco.
This ofllcor Is Lieut. Franck Taylor Evans ,
the only son of the former commaudor-ln-chlof of
the Atlantic fleet. Resembling his father In
looks , the younger Evans had made a very credit
able record slnco his entrance in the navy , 14
years ago ,
Ho was born In Switzerland , whllo his father
was. attached lo the European fleet In the 70's.
September C , 1801 , ho was appointed to the naval
academy at largo. Completing lilu four-years
course of instruction at the academy In 1898 , ho
was graduated from that Institution.
In April of that year , and just before the outbreak of the Spanish war ,
Jio was assigned to the battleship Massachusetts , commanded by Capt. Fran
cis J. Hlgglnson. Ho served on the Massachusetts through the war , taking
part In the bombardment at Santiago , San Juan and In a number of engage
ments In Cuban waters. Ho remained on the Massachusetts until 1899 , when
ho was transferred to the gunboat Nashville. In 1900 ho was assigned to the
Brutus on the Asiatic station.
In 1904 ho was assigned to President Roosevelt's yacht Sylph ns her
commanding ofllcor and remained on her until the latter part of 1905 , when
ho was ordered to Newport NOWB for duty In connection with the fitting out of
Iho new IC.OOO-ton battleship Louisiana. When oho was commissioned In 1906
tie was assigned to duty on her.
Ho made the trip on Iho Louisiana , when she took President Roosevelt
to Panama , and also on the cruise from Hampton Roads to San Francisco.
Ho was promoted to the grade of lieutenant on July 1 , 1901.
"FIDDLER BOB" TAYLOR
Robert Love Taylor , batter known throughout
Tennessee an "Fiddler Bob , " devoted his maiden
speech In the United States senate recently to an
attack upon the Republican party and the execu
tive. Some of his similes wore very effective , as
when ho compared the federal power and the
states lo the centripetal and centrifugal forces
that rule the universe , and when ho said this of
the rnlrw&ya :
"They are only ono string of the harp of a
thousand strings upon which our modern Orpheus
Is playing the triumphal march of federalism. "
Senator Taylor got his nickname of Fiddler
Bob from the campaign ho waged In 1889 , for
election to the United States congress. Ho had
nothing to aid him but his wits and his fiddle ,
but being a mountaineer himself ho knew how to
reach the hearts of the people of the hills. Ho sot out for the mountain re
gions carrying' his flddlo and wherever ho stopped ho brought It out and a
tlanco wuo organized right away. The young folks danced to his music while
the older ones Wore won by his merry chatter. Ho was elected. Ills next am
bition was to become United States senator and ho made the run. Ho re
ceived n telegram that ho had been elected by a majority of ono , but later ho
received another that ono"of his supporters had changed his vote and elected
hip opponent. Taylor said nothing , but ho made the vim for governor of the
fltato , this tlmo having his own brother for an opponent , which gave to the
contest the sobriquet of "War oC the ROHOH. " The ancient flddlo was effectlvo
und Bob was blccted. He was twice re-elected. His opportunity to nchltfvo
Jils final ambition offered itself at last election and ho ran for the senate once
more , being triumphantly elected this time.
Senator Taylor was born In Happy Valley , Tenn. , In July , 1850. He gradu
ated from Ponnlngton college and in 1878 was admitted to the bar. Ho was
an olector-at-largo on the Cleveland ticket In 1884 and again In 1892. After
retiring from the ofllco of chief executive Mr. Taylor entered the lecture field.
Ho Is an attorney by profession , and ho Is also editor of Bob Taylor's Maga
zine , a publication that reflects the character and the Idiosyncrasies of the
man.
OPPOSES REVOLVING DOORS
Louis Lcplne , prefect of police , by Issuing the
ordinance forbidding the use of revolving doors
in restaurants , hotels and other public buildings
capable of holding more than 100 persons , on the
ground that they nro dangerous In case of flro
or panic , has again demonstrated that ho Is tlio
wlelder of the "big stick" In Paris.
The order has aroused tho-Indignation of those
who have Installed these doors at great expense ,
but the prefect Is used to grumblings and mut-
torlngs. To use an American expression , ho al
lows their complaints to go "In ono car and out
of the other. "
That the edict will stand goes without saying ,
for the ofllco of prefect is more Important than
that of a cabinet minister. Ho Is appointed by
the president and Is answerable neither to par-
lament nor to Paris.
M. Loplno Is supported by a small army in carrying out his edicts. Ho
Controls CO.OOO troops , 12,000 police and 8,000 guards. Ho Is a gentleman , a
scholar and brother to a great medical luminary , Prof. Raphael Leplnc , of the
faculty of Lyons , and editor of the Revue do Medicine. It Is a family of what
was called in other days "noblesse do robe , " descending from generations of
Jawyers , doctors and government functionaries.
M. Lcplno was born In Paris in 1846 , became a lawyer and entered the "ad
ministration" in 1877 as sub-prefect , and has risen through all the grades to
prefect , to which ho was appointed In 1893. So well has ho mot the require
ments of his strenuous ofllco that every president slnco that tlmo has ro-
nppolnted him. Ho was In charge of Paris during the Dreyfus troubles , with
its rioting and violent possibilities.
NEW PRESIDENT OF PERU
Senor Don Augusto B. Legula , who was re
cently elected to succeed Dr. Pardo as president
of Porn , Is snld to bo one of the boat friends the
United States over has hud In South America
The richness of Peru Is proverbial , and for years
Senor Loguln has maintained that every effort
should bo made to encourage the Investment of
American capital In enterprises Intended to develop
velop and exploit the resources of hla country
His liking for American methods Is probably
partly clue to tno fact that the largo part of his
early commercial training was acquired In the
Spanish-American department of the Now York
Life Insurance Company.
Ho was with this corporation for years , and
when ho resigned his place , In 1SS9 , ho had
worked his way up from a clerkship to the man
agement of all the interests of the Now York Llfo in Porn. Slnco retiring
from the Insurance business Senor Legula has been the managing director of the
British Sugar Estates , Limited , which has several million dollars Invested
In sugar estates In different parts of Peru , and ho Is also the largest stockhold
er in six other important industrial and commercial enterprises.
Senor Lcguin entered political llfo in 1903 as minister of finance In Presi
dent Candamo'a government , of which the present president of Peru , Dr. Jose
Pardo , was prime minister. President Candamo lived only six months after
taking office , and when the vacancy caused by his death was filled by the
election of President Pardo , Senor Logula was made prime minister and In-
trusted with the forming of a now cabinet. Ho retired from this ofllco only
ft Cow months ago , in accordance with a custom which requires n candidate
feRnjj pilYft public ofllco ,1,0 , resign before opening a campaign.
Sorter Legula is 45 years old , having fceon born at Lambayoque , in the >
north of Peru , on February 19 , 18M.
Ambitious Minds V/ould Con
trol Only Element That
Has Defied Man
Now It Is Thought That the Aero
plane Devised by Wright Brothers
May at Least Point the Way to
Success-- " Could Laugh at Vessels
of War.
EW YORK. Those reti
cent and Intensely ab
sorbed westerners , the
Wright brothers of Day
ton , O. , appear to have
at last conquered the ele
ments which have so long baffled the
ngenulty of man , and aerial naviga
tion , so long regarded as a fascinating
absurdity , now seems to bo very much
of a practical reality , says a writer in
the Now York Times.
Aside from the triumph of the long
and apparently easily controlled flight ,
; ho most Important Item contained In
iho news dispatches from Mantou , N.
C. , where the brothers have been con-
luctlng their experiments , Is the state
ment that the aeroplane not only car
ried both men , but carried them In a
sitting position. TJie earlier aeroplane
of these Inventors carried but ono
aviator , and It was necessary for him
to bo prone upon his stomach.
The significance of the statement lies
n the apparent fact that the inventors
lave at last succeeded In overcoming
the real problem of mechanical flight
the problem of equilibrium. Aero
planes that would support their opera
tors have previously been tested. En
gines of sufllclent lightness to propel
them through the air at a sufficient
speed and to carry their own weight
and that of the operators have also
liecn successfully tried. There have
been plenty of aeroplanes that would
Ily In still air. The one needful , essen
tial , rind undiscovered thing was an
airship that would not capsize when
the wind was blowing.
Writing in a recent issue of Me-
Cluro's Magazine , George Klbbe Turn
er quotes the Wright brothers as as
sorting that no one Who had not nav
igated the air can appreciate the real
dlfllculty of mechanical flight that
the great problem the problem of
equilibrium never occurs to any ono
who has not actually tried flying.
solve the problem of equilibrium by
some automatic system of balancing.
Vv'u bellovu llutl the control should bo
left to the operator. The sense of equi
librium IB very delicate and certain.
If you He upon a bed three-quarters of
an inch out of true , you know it at
once. And this sense of equilibrium Is
just as reliable a mile above the earth
as It Is on It.
"The management of our aeroplane
like that of the bicycle , Is based upon
the sense of equilibrium of the opera
tor. The mechanism for preserving
the balance of the machine consists of
levers operated by simple uniform
movements which readjust the flying
surfaces of the machine to the air.
The movement of these lovers very
soon becomes automatic with the avi
ator , as does the balancing of a bicy
cle rider , and simpler to operate than
a bicycle. In fact , the aeroplane is
easier to learn. In all our experiments
with gliding and flying machines , wo
have not even sprained a limb ; wo
have scarcely scratched our flesh. "
Fatalities Among Inventors.
But if these two experimenters have
had Immunity from mishap their pre
decessors have not. Among the flrtt
to undertake the task of demonstrat
ing that a mechanical flying machine
Is possible was Otto Lllllenthal , a Ger
man mechanical engineer. He made a
study of the flight of birds and event
ually concluded that very little was
known of the laws which govern the
flight of the feathered tribe. Ho be
gan experimenting in 1891 , using wings
constructed like those of soaring birds.
Equipped with these , he sailed down
hill sides into valleys. After a series
of more than 2,000 flights one of his
wings gave way ono day and in his
tumble to earth he dislocated his spine
and died the following day.
That was In 1S9G. Three years later
an Englishman , Percy S. Pllcher , bo-
The Wright Brothers have conducted their experiments with great se
crecy. The above illustrations give , however , an excellent Idea of their aer
oplane. They are from photographs taken from a distance for McClure'a
Magazine. The upper picture shows the glider in motion. The lower picture
shows the method of starting.
Thus , the real question of the flying
machine Is how to keep It from turn
ing over.
over.Air
Air In Constant Turmoil.
"The chief trouble , " the brothers ex
plained , "Is the turmoil of the nlr.
The common Impression is that the
atmosphere runs in comparatively reg
ular currents which we call winds.
No ono who has not been thrown about
on a gliding aeroplane rising or fallIng -
Ing ten , 20 or oven 30 feet In a few
seconds can understand how utterly
wrongthis , Idea IB. The air along
the surface of the earth , as a
matter of fact. Is continually churn
ing. It Is thrown upward from every
Irregularity , like sea breakers on a
coast line ; every hill and tree and
building sends up a wave or slanting
current. And It moves not directly
back and forth upon Its coast line ,
llko the sea , but in whirling rotary
masses. Some of Uicao rise up hun
dreds of yards. In a fairly strong
wind the air near the earth Is more
disturbed than the whirlpools of Ni
agara.
"Tho problem of mechanical flight
Is how to balance In this moving fluid
which supports the flying machine ; or ,
technically speaking , how to make the
center of gravity coincide with the
center of air-pressure. The wind often
veers several times a second , quicker
than thought , and the center of pros-
euro changes with it. It la as diffi
cult to follow this center of pressure
as to keep your linger on the flicker
ing blot of light from a prism swing
ing in the sun.
"It has been the common aim of
experimenters with the aeroplane to
I
gan experimenting along the same
line. He had essayed only a few flights
when ono of his wings broke and ho
sustained Injuries which caused his
death a few days later.
On this side of the Atlantic , Prof.
S , P. Langley conducted some notable
experiments , fashioning in 1S9G a
small , steam-driven aeroplane which
made a flight of three-quarters of a
mile. In the same year Chanuto of
Chicago constructed a gliding ma
chine which attracted some attention.
Four years later the Wright brothers ,
two young bicycle makers of Dayton ,
began experimenting.
It was not long before their efforts
began to attract attention. But they
sedulously avoided notoriety , kept
their own counsel , and devoted them-
uolves to the task of solving the prob
lem of mechanical flight. Mr. Turner ,
however , gained their confidence , and
thus describes them : "Two lean ,
quiet men In a dingy , commonplace
little brick bicycle shop ; pleasant , un
assuming , most approachable , but
shy and silent under the oppression
of the greatest secret of the time. Or-
vlllo , of the more social and conversa
tional temperament , did the greater
share of the talking an amiable , kind-
ly-facod man of 35. Wilbur prema
turely bald , about 40 , with the watch
ful eyes , marked facial lines , and dry ,
brief speech of a naturally reticent
man. "
Their New Method.
To quote his account of what the
brothers told him Just prior to their
going abroad last year for the demon
stration of their machines before for
eign war departmenta :
"We had worked out a now mnthod
of practice with gliding machines , "
they explained. "Lllllenthal and Cha-
mite hnd obtained their experience In
flying with the operator's launching
himself from a hill and gliding down
on to lower laud. This Involved car
rying back their apparatus , after a
short flight , to the top of the hill
again. Hocauso of the difficulties of
thlx awkward method , although Lll
llenthal had made over 2,000 flights ,
we calculated that In all his five yeara
of experiment ho could not hnvo been
actually practicing flying more than
five hours far too short for the ordi
nary man to learn to ride a bicycle.
It was our plan to follow the example
of soaring birds , and find a place
where wo could bo supported by
strong rising winds.
"A bird Is really an aeroplane. The
portions of Its wings near the'body
are used as planes of support , while
tlio more flexible parts outside , when
flapped , net as propellers. Some of the
soaring birds nro not much more than
animated sailing machines. A buzzard
can be safely kept In an open pen 30
feet across and ten feet high. Ho
cannot fly out of It. In fact , we know
from observation made by ourselves
that ho cannot fly for any distance up
a grade , of one to six.
"Yet these birds sailing through the
air are among the commonest sights
through a great section of the country.
Every one who has boon outdoors has
seen a buzzard 'or hawk soaring ;
every one who has been at sea has
soon the gulls sailing after a steam
ship for hundreds of miles with scarce
ly a movement of the wings. All of
these birds are doing the same thing
they are balancing on rising cur
rents of air. The buzzards and hawks
find the currents blowing upward off
the land ; the gulls that follow the
steamers from New York to Florida
are merely sliding down hill n thou-
jand miles on rising currents in the
wake of the steamer In the atmos
phere , and on the hot air rising from
her smokestacks. "
Think Great Speed Possible.
The brothers believe that the event
ual speed of the aeroplane will bo
easily CO miles an hour , and may bo
X
\
forced up to 100 miles. "Our experi
ments have shown , " they said , "that
a filer designed to carry an aggregate
of 745 pounds at 20 miles an hour
would require only eight horsepower ,
and at 30 miles an hour 12 horse
power. At CO miles 24 horsepower
would be needed , and at 120 miles CO
or 75 horsepower. It is clear that
there is a certain point of speed be
yond which the air resistance makes
It Impossible to go. " Just what that is
experiment will determine. Every
year gas engines are being made
lighter a fact which will Increase the
surplus carrying power of the machine
available for fuel and operator and
heavier construction , but at present
CO miles an hour can be counted on
for the flying machine. This , of
course , means speed through the
air.
"Tho aeroplane running CO mll < j3 an
hour will have surplus lifting power
enough to carry fuel for long jour
neys. Our 1907 machine will carry
gasoline enough to fly 500 miles at a
rate of some CO miles an hour. Wo
can , and possibly soon will , make a
one-man machine carrying gasoline
enough to go 1,000 miles at 40 miles
an hour. Moreover , any" machine made
to inovo at speeds up to CO miles an
hour can bo operated economically at
n cost of not much over ono cent a
mile for gasoline.
"There Is no question that a man
can make a lighter and more efficient
wing than a bird's. A cloth surface ,
for Instance , can bo produced offer
ing loss surface friction than feathers.
The reason for this fact is that a
bird's wing is really a compromise.
It Is not made for flying only it must
bo folded up and got out of the way
when the bird Is on its feet , and offl-
clency in flying must bo sacrificed to
permit this. The wings of aeroplanes
will vary In slzo according to speed.
A slow machine will require a larue
wing , but the faster tlio speed tlio less
will bo tlio supporting surftico nee-
cssnry , and wings for high speeds will
naturally bo very small. Not only will
less support bo nceilod , but Iho slzo
must bo reduced to reduce the fric
tion of the air. "
Fearful Only of Capsize.
Although ono of the brothers had an
ugly fall only a few days ago , they
both maintain that the only danger
to be apprehended from an acroplano
Is the danger of a capsize. A break
down , or a sudden stopping of the en
gine , they say and they certainly
should know does not entail disas
ter , DS on the first thought It might
appear. Their explanation Is that
while the aeroplane Is supported In
the air through Its own. motion
through It , yet gravity furnishes all
the energy that Is needed to got
safely to the ground. When the
power Is shut off It merely scales
through the air to Its landing. Theo
retically , It Is safer at a mile above
the earth than at 200 feet , because It
has a wider choice of places In which
to land ; you can cheese your landIng -
Ing from 256 square miles from a
mile above the surface If descending
one In sixteen. "As u matter of fact , "
they said , "wo always shut off the
power when wo start to alight , and
como down by the force of gravity.
We reach the ground at so slight an
anglo and so lightly that It Is Impos
sible for the operator to tell by his
own sensation within several yards
of where the ground was first actu
ally touched.
"Wo feel that It Is absolutely essen
tial for us to keep our method of con
trol a secret. Wo could patent many
points In the machine , and It Is possi
ble that wo could make a success of
the Invention commercially. We have
been approached by many promoters
on the matter. But we believe that
our best market Is to sell the ma
chine to some government for use In
war. To do this It Is necessary for
us to keep its construction an abso
lute secret. "
To the same writer the brothers
made the Interesting statement that
they did not expect the aeroplane ever
to displace the railroad or the steam
boat. They predict that Its chief
value will bo In war time , when It
may be employed for dropping explo
sives upon an enemy or for recon-
nolterlng purposes. In this connec
tion may be added the fact that the
navy department has planned an ex
tensive scries of experiments with
dirigibles , the purpose being to dis
cover their availability for war usage.
Those who advocate the employment
of these machines point out the fact
that flying machines sailing over a
fleet are Immune from any attack
"save that of small arm lire , and that
they could attain a height so great as
to be out of range from these smaller
weapons. There is no typo of larger
gun now carried on shipboard that Is
capable of such extreme elevation. Of
course it would be easily possible to
construct a gun mount that would per
mit of high angle , or oven vertical
fire , but the question is asked how
would you ho able to hit ono of these
small targets sailing so high In air ?
When firing at a floating target any
error of sighting can be detected by
the uplash of the shell. But how is a
gun-pointer to tell where his shells
are going when he Is firing upward
Into the air ?
No Danger.
"Whatever you do , dear , " wrote the
ardent lover , "don't show my letters to
you to anyone. "
"Have no fear , dearest , " came the
reply. "I'm just as much ashamed of
them as you are. "
And , with that , tho-engagement be
came a matter of history. Judge.
These New Coiffures.
"What a queer ornament Miss Snuf
fles wears In her hair ! " said Mrs.
Truly wed. "Can you see what It Is ? "
"Yos that's not an ornament. It's
the price tag , " answered Miss Belle
Tlnkly. Cleveland Leader.