All About Inventions and Discoveries
The Romance of modern scientific and mechanical Achievements

25o All About Inventions of a rudder at the rear, which was the idea of Mr. Herring, and this rudder was of such design and operation that the relative wind, catching either its horizontal or vertical planes, altered the angle of incidence of the supporting planes to meet the con- ditions which arose. Consequently, stability and safety became accentuated. In view of the success which Chanute had achieved with his double-decker, the question arose as to whether the stage had not been reached at last when a motor might be introduced. Herring believed that an engine might be safely introduced, and in 1897 built a biplane fitted with a benzine engine and propeller. But the motor proving unsatisfactory, it was superseded by a compressed air engine. This propelling system suffered from its severe limita- tions. A flight exceeding 70 feet in distance was impossible, so Herring devoted his energies to the design and construction of a steam-engine of extremely light weight for the power developed. Chanute, however, maintained that the introduc- tion of the motor was premature. There were still one or two dubious points of considerable import, which remained to be cleared up. Forthwith he built another machine—a three-decker, or triplane, this time —which was subjected to many searching tests. In this machine the glider gripped the lower front upright members supporting the planes, his legs dangling beneath. When flying and when approaching the ground the man doubled up his legs. This arrange- ment was adopted for the purpose of facilitating alighting. ( Chanute has been described as the father of the