ents which he conducted at
the Blue Hills Observatory, Mr. Eddy often employed as many as eight
or ten kites; and in August, 1895, he sent up twelve kites on one
line, three of them being nine-footers. This is probably the largest
number of kites ever sent up in tandem; and although on this occasion
the line carried only the thermographs suspended in a basket, the
whole weighing not more than two pounds, a very much larger load might
have been carried, had it been desired.

[Illustration: Murray Street. Warren Street.

MURRAY AND WARREN STREETS, NEW YORK CITY, FROM A KITE.

From a photograph taken from a kite by Mr. W.A. Eddy, showing Murray
and Warren Streets, New York City, as they run west from Broadway.]

Among many other curious things about the wind observed by Mr. Eddy,
is the fact that the night winds are by far the steadiest and most
satisfactory for kite-flying. On this account much of his work with
kites has been done in the darkness, although he uses lanterns on
the lines to assist him in locating the kites. It has also been
demonstrated that the force of the wind increases steadily as the
distance from the earth increases. Archibald proved this conclusively,
by suspending a series of wind-measuring instruments at intervals
along the main line, their registration showing almost invariably
greater wind pressure at the higher altitude. Mr. Eddy has furthermore
noted that, while the early morning wind is usually very light at the
earth's surface, it is almost invariably good aloft; and he has again
and again verified the well-established fact that all clouds herald
their approach and are accompanied by increased wind velocity.

THE HIGHEST FLIGHT EVER MADE BY A KITE.

The modern system of flying kites tandem was devised by Mr. Eddy in
1890, although it was hit upon two years later independently by Dr.
Alexander B. Johnson, the distinguished surgeon of the Roosevelt
Hospital in New York. The tandem system makes it possible to send
kites to far greater altitudes than had ever been previously attained.
And here the best record is undoubtedly held by one of Mr. Eddy's
tandems, sent aloft at Bayonne, on November 7, 1893. Mr. Eddy began to
send up the kites at 7:30 A.M.; but, being hampered by light breezes
from the east, found he was kept busy until half-past three in the
afternoon in getting nine kites aloft. He had paid out nearly two
miles of cord, when the top kite, a little two-footer, stood straight
o