the
inventor was cast headlong to earth, and dashed to death.

From time to time it has been thought that the parachute might be
used for life-saving on the modern dirigible air-ship, and even on the
aeroplane, and experiments have been carried out with that end in view.
A most thrilling descent from an air-ship by means of a parachute was
that made by Major Maitland, Commander of the British Airship Squadron,
which forms part of the Royal Flying Corps. The descent took place from
the Delta air-ship, which ascended from Farnborough Common. In the car
with Major Maitland were the pilot, Captain Waterlow, and a passenger.
The parachute was suspended from the rigging of the Delta, and when a
height of about 2000 feet had been reached it was dropped over to the
side of the car. With the dirigible travelling at about 20 miles an hour
the major climbed over the car and seated himself in the parachute. Then
it became detached from the Delta and shot downwards for about 200 feet
at a terrific rate. For a moment or two it was thought that the opening
apparatus had failed to work; but gradually the "umbrella" opened, and
the gallant major had a gentle descent for the rest of the distance.

This experiment was really made in order to prove the stability of an
air-ship after a comparatively great weight was suddenly removed from
it. Lord Edward Grosvenor, who is attached to the Royal Flying Corps,
was one of the eyewitnesses of the descent. In speaking of it he said:
"We all think highly of Major Maitland's performance, which has shown
how the difficulty of lightening an air-ship after a long flight can be
surmounted. During a voyage of several hours a dirigible naturally loses
gas, and without some means of relieving her of weight she might have
to descend in a hostile country. Major Maitland has proved the
practicability of members of an air-ship's crew dropping to the ground
if the necessity arises."

A descent in a parachute has also been made from an aeroplane by M.
Pegoud, the daring French airman, of whom we speak later. A certain
Frenchman, M. Bonnet, had constructed a parachute which was intended
to be used by the pilot of an aeroplane if on any occasion he got into
difficulties. It had been tried in many ways, but, unfortunately for the
inventor, he could get no pilot to trust himself to it. Tempting offers
were made to pilots of world-wide fame, but either the risk was thought
to be too great, or it was believed that n