right itself. It did not, therefore, claim to be a machine which it
was impossible to upset, but one which if left to itself would tend
to right itself from whatever direction a gust might come. When the
principles were extended to the 'B.E. 2c' type (largely used at the
outbreak of the War) the latter machine, if the engine were switched of
f at a height of not less than 1,000 feet above the ground, would after
a few moments assume its correct gliding angle and glide down to the
ground.

The Paris Aero Salon of December, 1913, had been remarkable chiefly for
the large number of machines of which the chassis and bodywork had been
constructed of steel-tubing; for the excess of monoplanes over biplanes;
and (in the latter) predominance of 'pusher' machines (with propeller
in rear of the main planes) compared with the growing British preference
for 'tractors' (with air screw in front). Incidentally, the Maurice
Farman, the last relic of the old type box-kite with elevator in front
appeared shorn of this prefix, and became known as the 'short-horn' in
contradistinction to its front-elevatored predecessor which, owing to
its general reliability and easy flying capabilities, had long been
affectionately called the 'mechanical cow.' The 1913 Salon also saw
some lingering attempts at attaining automatic stability by pendulum and
other freak devices.

Apart from the appearance of 'R.E.1,' perhaps the most notable
development towards the end of 1913 was the appearance of the Sopwith
'Tabloid 'tractor biplane. This single-seater machine, evolved from
the two-seater previously referred to, fitted with a Gnome engine of 80
horse-power, had the, for those days, remarkable speed of 92 miles an
hour; while a still more notable feature was that it could remain in
level flight at not more than 37 miles per hour. This machine is of
particular importance because it was the prototype and forerunner of the
successive designs of single-seater scout fighting machines which were
used so extensively from 1914 to 1918. It was also probably the first
machine to be capable of reaching a height of 1,000 feet within one
minute. It was closely followed by the 'Bristol Bullet,' which was
exhibited at the Olympia Aero Show of March, 1914. This last pre-war
show was mainly remarkable for the good workmanship displayed--rather
than for any distinct advance in design. In fact, there was a notable
diversity in the types displayed, but in detailed design co