NOTE.--_The authors thank most cordially the proprietors of_ The Daily Mirror _for permission to reproduce certain photographs, of an historical interest, which depict incidents from the cross-Channel flying both of Latham and Bleriot; also F. N. Birkett, Esq., the Topical Postcard Company, and_ The Central News _for permission to use photographs illustrative of modern aviation_. CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. WHAT EARLY HISTORY TELLS 1 II. THE WORK OF SCIENTISTS 8 III. FIRST FRUITS OF STUDY 21 IV. OTTO AND GUSTAV LILIENTHAL 31 V. GLIDING FLIGHT 41 VI. “THE BIRD MAN” 53 VII. WILBUR AND ORVILLE WRIGHT 62 VIII. THE WRIGHT MOTOR-DRIVEN PLANE 71 IX. DAWN OF FLIGHT 84 X. RIVAL AIRMEN 93 XI. A YEAR OF TRIUMPH 101 XII. PERILS OF THE AIR 130 XIII. MILITARY AND CROSS-COUNTRY FLYING 149 XIV. SEA-PLANES AND AIRSHIPS 169 XV. AERIAL WARFARE 188 XVI. AT A MODERN AERODROME 209 XVII. THE FLYING SCHOOL 226 XVIII. TOURING BY AIR 247 XIX. TWENTY YEARS HENCE 270 LIST OF PLATES THE AIR LINER OF THE FUTURE _Frontispiece_ PLATE FACING PAGE I. THE LANGLEY MACHINE 26 II. SANTOS-DUMONT’S FIRST FLIGHTS 46 III. FARMAN’S VOISIN BIPLANE 68 IV. LATHAM’S FALL INTO THE SEA 84 V. BLERIOT LEAVING THE FRENCH COAST 96 VI. BLERIOT REACHES DOVER 110 VII. A FARMAN IN FLIGHT 116 VIII. THE GNOME MOTOR 122 IX. THE FIRST HIGH-POWERED BLERIOT 134 X. MAURICE FARMAN BIPLANE 150 XI. AN AIRMAN’S POINT OF VIEW 164 XII. THE LONDON AERODROME FROM ABOVE 188 XIII. AN AEROPLANE FACTORY 202 XIV. BIPLANE CIRCLING A PYLON 230 XV. VIEW FROM A CRAFT ASCENDING 240 XVI. THE GRAHAME-WHITE “AEROBUS” 252 THE AEROPLANE CHAPTER I WHAT EARLY HISTORY TELLS Simon the magician--A monk who sprang from a tower--The Saracen who “rose like a bird.” In learning to fly, men have passed through five definite and clearly-marked stages which have extended over centuries, and cost many lives. These five stages may be summarized thus: 1. Haphazard and foolhardy tests--ending generally in death.