flying machines-第20部分

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Bleriot　crossed　the　channel；　the　actual　sales　of　flying

machines　outnumber　the　actual　sales　of　automobiles　in

the　first　year　of　their　commercial　development。　This

may　appear　incredible；　but　it　is　a　fact　as　statistics　will

show。



In　this　connection　we　should　take　into　consideration

the　fact　that　up　to　a　year　ago　there　was　no　serious　intention

of　putting　flying　machines　on　the　market；　no

preparations　had　been　made　to　produce　them　on　a　commercial

scale；　no　money　had　been　expended　in　advertisements

with　a　view　to　selling　them。



Some　of　the　Actual　Results。



Today　flying　machines　are　being　produced　on　a　commercial

basis；　and　there　is　a　big　demand　for　them。　The

people　making　them　are　overcrowded　with　orders。　Some

of　the　producers　are　already　making　arrangements　to

enlarge　their　plants　and　advertise　their　product　for　sale

the　same　as　is　being　done　with　automobiles；　while　a

number　of　flying　machine　motor　makers　are　already

promoting　the　sale　of　their　wares　in　this　way。



Here　are　a　few　actual　figures　of　flying　machine　sales

made　by　the　more　prominent　producers　since　July　25th；

1909。



Santos　Dumont；　90　machines；　Bleriot；　200；　Farman；

130；　Clemenceau…Wright；　80；　Voisin；　100；　Antoinette；

100。　Many　of　these　orders　have　been　filled　by　delivery

of　the　machines；　and　in　others　the　construction　work

is　under　way。



The　foregoing　are　all　of　foreign　make。　In　this　country

Curtiss　and　the　Wrights　are　engaged　in　similar

work；　but　no　actual　figures　of　their　output　are　obtainable。



Larger　Plants　Are　Necessary。



And　this　situation　exists　despite　the　fact　that　none　of

the　producers　are　really　equipped　with　adequate　plants

for　turning　out　their　machines　on　a　modern；　business…

like　basis。　The　demand　was　so　sudden　and　unexpected

that　it　found　them　poorly　prepared　to　meet　it。　This；

however；　is　now　being　remedied　by　the　erection　of　special

plants；　the　enlargement　of　others；　and　the　introduction

of　new　machinery　and　other　labor…saving　conveniences。



Companies；　with　large　capitalization；　to　engage　in　the

exclusive　production　of　airships　are　being　organized　in

many　parts　of　the　world。　One　notable　instance　of　this

nature　is　worth　quoting　as　illustrative　of　the　manner

in　which　the　production　of　flying　machines　is　being

commercialized。　This　is　the　formation　at　Frankfort；

Germany；　of　the　Flugmaschine　Wright；　G。　m。　b。　H。；　with

a　capital　of　119；000；　the　Krupps；　of　Essen；　being　interested。



Prices　at　Which　Machines　Sell。



This　wonderful　demand　from　the　public　has　come

notwithstanding　the　fact　that　the　machines；　owing　to　lack

of　facilities　for　wholesale　production；　are　far　from　being

cheap。　Such　definite　quotations　as　are　made　are

on　the　following　basis：



Santos　DumontList　price　1；000；　but　owing　to　the

rush　of　orders　agents　are　readily　getting　from　1；300　to

1；500。　This　is　the　smallest　machine　made。



BleriotList　price　2；500。　This　is　for　the　cross…

channel　type；　with　Anzani　motor。



AntoinetteList　price　from　4；000　to　5；000；　according

to　size。



WrightList　price　5；600。



CurtissList　price　5；000。



There　is；　however；　no　stability　in　prices　as　purchasers

are　almost　invariably　ready　to　pay　a　considerable　premium

to　facilitate　delivery。



The　motor　is　the　most　expensive　part　of　the　flying

machine。　Motor　prices　range　from　500　to　2；000；　this

latter　amount　being　asked　for　the　Curtiss　engine。



Systematic　Instruction　of　Amateurs。



In　addition　to　the　production　of　flying　machines　many

of　the　experienced　aviators　are　making　a　business　of

the　instruction　of　amateurs。　Curtiss　and　the　Wrights

in　this　country　have　a　number　of　pupils；　as　have　also

the　prominent　foreigners。　Schools　of　instruction　are

being　opened　in　various　parts　of　the　world；　not　alone　as

private　money…making　ventures；　but　in　connection　with

public　educational　institutions。　One　of　these　latter　is

to　be　found　at　the　University　of　Barcelona；　Spain。



The　flying　machine　agent；　the　man　who　handles　the

machines　on　a　commission；　has　also　become　a　known

quantity；　and　will　soon　be　as　numerous　as　his　brother

of　the　automobile。　The　sign　〃John　Bird；　agent　for

Skimmer's　Flying　Machine；〃　is　no　longer　a　curiosity。



Yes；　the　Airship　Is　Here。



From　all　of　which　we　may　well　infer　that　the　flying

machine　in　practical　form　has　arrived；　and　that　it　is

here　to　stay。　It　is　no　exaggeration　to　say　that　the　time

is　close　at　hand　when　people　will　keep　flying　machines

just　as　they　now　keep　automobiles；　and　that　pleasure

jaunts　will　be　fully　as　numerous　and　popular。　With

the　important　item　of　practicability　fully　demonstrated；

〃Come；　take　a　trip　in　my　airship；〃　will　have　more　real

significance　than　now　attaches　to　the　vapid　warblings

of　the　vaudeville　vocalist。



As　a　further　evidence　that　the　airship　is　really　here；

and　that　its　presence　is　recognized　in　a　business　way；

the　action　of　life　and　accident　insurance　companies　is

interesting。　Some　of　them　are　reconstructing　their　policies

so　as　to　include　a　special　waiver　of　insurance　by

aviators。　Anything　which　compels　these　great　corporations

to　modify　their　policies　cannot　be　looked　upon　as

a　mere　curiosity　or　toy。



It　is　some　consolation　to　know　that　the　movement　in

this　direction　is　not　thus　far　widespread。　Moreover　it

is　more　than　probable　that　the　competition　for　business

will　eventually　induce　the　companies　to　act　more

liberally　toward　aviators；　especially　as　the　art　of　aviation

advances。







CHAPTER　XIX。



LAW　OF　THE　AIRSHIP。



Successful　aviation　has　evoked　some　peculiar　things

in　the　way　of　legal　action　and　interpretation　of　the　law。



It　is　well　understood　that　a　man's　property　cannot

be　used　without　his　consent。　This　is　an　old　established

principle　in　common　law　which　holds　good　today。



The　limits　of　a　man's　property　lines；　however；　have

not　been　so　well　understood　by　laymen。　According　to

eminent　legal　authorities　such　as　Blackstone；　Littleton

and　Coke；　the　〃fathers　of　the　law；〃　the　owner　of　realty

also　holds　title　above　and　below　the　surface；　and　this

theory　is　generally　accepted　without　question　by　the

courts。



Rights　of　Property　Owners。



In　other　words　the　owner　of　realty　also　owns　the　sky

above　it　without　limit　as　to　distance。　He　can　dig　as

deep　into　his　land；　or　go　as　high　into　the　air　as　he　desires；

provided　he　does　not　trespass　upon　or　injure　similar

rights　of　others。



The　owner　of　realty　may　resist　by　force；　all　other

means　having　failed；　any　trespass　upon；　or　invasion　of

his　property。　Other　people；　for　instance；　may　not　enter

upon　it；　or　over　or　under　it；　without　his　express　permission

and　consent。　There　is　only　one　exception；　and

this　is　in　the　case　of　public　utility　corporations　such　as

railways　which；　under　the　law　of　eminent　domain；　may

condemn　a　right　of　way　across　the　property　of　an　obstinate　owner

who　declines　to　accept　a　fair　price　for　the

privilege。



Privilege　Sharply　Confined。



The　law　of　eminent　domain　may　be　taken　advantage

of　only　by　corporations　which　are　engaged　in　serving

the　public。　It　is　based　upon　the　principle　that　the

advancement　and　improvement　of　a　community　is　of　more

importance　and　carries　with　it　more　rights　than　the

interests　of　the　individual　owner。　But　even　in　cases　where

the　right　of　eminent　domain　is　exercised　there　can　be　no

confiscation　of　the　individual's　property。



Exercising　the　right　of　eminent　domain　is　merely

obtaining　by　public　purchase　what　is　held　to　be　essential

to　the　public　good；　and　which　cannot　be　secured　by　private

purchase。　When　eminent　domain　proceedings　are

resorted　to　the　court　appoints　appraisers　who　determine

upon　the　value　of　the　property　wanted；　and　this　value

（in　money）　is　paid　to　the　owner。



How　It　Affects　Aviation。



It　should　be　kept　in　mind　that　this　privilege　of　the

〃right　of　eminent　domain〃　is　accorded　only　to　corporations

which　are　engaged　in　serving　the　public。　Individuals

cannot　take　advantage　of　it。　Thus　far　all　aviation

has　been　conducted　by　individuals；　there　are　no　flying

machine　or　airship　corporations　regularly　engaged　in　the

transportation　of　passengers；　mails　or　freight。



This　leads　up　to　the　question　〃What　would　happen　if

realty　owners　generally；　or　in　any　considerable　numbers。

should　prohibit　the　navigation　of　the　air　above　their

holdings？〃　It　is　idle　to　say　such　a　possibility　is　ridiculous

it　is　already　an　actuality　in　a　few　individual　instances。



One　property　owner　in　New　Jersey；　a　justice　of　the

peace；　maintains　a　large　sign　on　the　roof　of　his　house

warning　aviators　that　they　must　not　trespass　upon　his

domain。　That　he　is　acting　well　within　his　rights　in　doing

this　is　conceded　by　legal　authorities。



Hard　to　Catch　Offenders。



But；　suppose　the　alleged　trespass　is　committed；　what

is　the　property　owner　going　to　do　about　it？　He　must

first　catch　the　trespasser　and　this　would　be　a　pretty　hard

job。　He　certainly　could　not　overtake　him；　unless　he

kept　a　racing　aeroplane　for　this　special　purpose。　It

would　be　equally　difficult　to　indentify　the　offender　after

the　offense　had　been　committed；　even　if　he　were　located；

as　aeroplanes　carry　no　license　numbers。



Allowing　that　the　offender　should　be　caught　the　only

recourse　of　the　realty　owner　is　an　action　for　damages。

He　may　prevent　the　commission　of　the　offense　by　force

if　necessary；　but　after　it　is　committed　he　can　only　sue

for　damages。　And　in　doing　this　he　would　have　a　lot　of

trouble。



Points　to　Be　Proven。



One　of　the　first　things　the　plaintiff　would　be　called

upon　to　prove　would　be　the　elevation　of　the　machine。

If　it　were　reasonably　close　to　the　ground　there　would；

of　course；　be　grave　risk　of　damage　to　fences；　shrubbery；

and　other　property；　and　the　court　would　be　justified　in

holding　it　to　be　a　nuisance　that　should　be　suppressed。



If；　on　the　other　hand；　the　machine　was　wel