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

256 All About Inventions machine until at last he was able to descend from a height of 3,300 feet. When the machine was freed the parachutist demonstrated his complete control over the glider by steering it to the right or left, inducing it to dive sharply, and when a high speed had been attained, would move the elevating rudder to cause the machine to rise slightly. As a rule, the descent from 3,300 feet was accomplished in about thirteen minutes, and the parachutist came to earth within half a mile or so of the point of ascent. But the trick was attempted once too often. On July 18th the balloon rose amid the plaudits of a big crowd. Reaching an altitude of 2,000 feet, Maloney cut himself adrift. But, unfortunately, in releasing the glider, a rope failed to slip at the critical moment. Evidently it struck and broke one of the struts or guy wires staying the machine. Maloney did not realise the accident. He swooped downwards in an easy spiral until within about 700 feet of the ground, when he set his rudder to make a “ deep ” or almost vertical dive which never failed to thrill the audience. But the suddenness of the dive threw a sudden and severe strain upon the weakened wing. It broke. Maloney lost control of the glider and came crashing to earth like a falling stone. He died within twenty minutes of being picked up. The perfection of the petrol motor presented in- vestigators in the world of dynamic flight with the very type of engine for which they had been searching so long and patiently. Here high powers were obtain- able for a relatively low weight. Moreover, the motor engineers, embracing the new scientific development, set their minds to building motors especially for