Washington Sentinel

Local and Personal.

The Flying Ship.—Two years or more have elapsed since Mr. Rufus Porter issued his proposals for constructing an apparatus for carrying passengers through the air, and first received subscriptions to aid him in his novel enterprise. The model which he exhibited in Carusi's Saloon worked very well, and convinced some of the spectators of the feasibility of his plans. With the perseverance which attaches to enthusiastic genius, he set himself to work, determined, if he could, to construct a machine of sufficient 'float' and steam-power to convey a pleasure party to the New York Crystal Palace, and fixed the period of departure towards the close of last autumn. Since that time, however, we have heard nothing of the efforts of the artist; but several visionaries who were anxious to take the voyage are still awaiting, with impatience, the completion of the apparatus, while gentlemen who have invested funds in the speculation have abandoned the hope of a declaration of dividend from the profits of the concern.

Mr. Porter is a fair specimen of genius struggling with difficulties; and, for his own sake, it is to be regretted that he did not turn his talents into a channel of business which could promise to yield him prompt returns for the cash, intellect, and mechanical ingenuity, invested in the enterprise.

We can readily conceive of the advantages of a 'saloon' floating through the air, and steered in any direction. For carrying the mails, and reconnoitering an army, or throwing red-hot bombs down upon hostile armies and navies it would indeed be valuable, while it would be beyond the range of cannon or rifle balls; but the construction of such a machine by Mr. Rufus Porter, or Mr. Pennington, or Mr. Anybody else, is among the improbabilities of the present age.