For more than a century men have been able to rise to great altitudes and to float serenely above the clouds. Hitherto, however, the problem of aerial navigation hax been pronounced indissoluble until within the last few months, when M. Santos Dumont, a young Brazilian, came forward and told us lie had succeeded where others had failed and that his "air ships" would sail to the Poles if necessary, and win for him the careted Deutsch prize of a hundred thousand francs offered some time since.
His first attempt was signally unsuccessful. In his second, made last Thurs day, he succeeded up to a certain point—that is, until he met an adverse wind of any strength. Then failure set in, and the intrepid aeronaut descended to the ground, from a height twice that of the Eiffel Tow: er, in a marvellously short space of time. Fortunately he was unhurt, but the dam: age done to his ship he estimated at £3,000. He says, however, that he shall shortly make a third attempt, and that next time he shall not fail." Scientists say that he must, as he is attempting the impossible. The substance with which his balloon is led being fourteen times light. er than the medium in which it floats, must always prove his main stumbling block. Hydrogen cannot be pushed by force through the air against the wind any more than a small child can be pushed through a closed door. I saw this latter feat attempted once on a younger sister by a small hoy after a visit to the pantomime. The result was disastrous, but the fate which awaits Santos Dumont may he far more so unless he is warned in time.
Sumptuous Tea Rooms have lately been opened in Bond Street under the auspices of the gentleman who for so many years acted as Major Dome to the late Duke of Teck. Instead of visitors all being crammed into one small room, they have here a choice of four different rooms; there is also fifth, which may be engaged for private parties, called the yellow room" and here Madame Sarah Bernhardt and M. Coquelin were entertained one afternoon during their recent visit to town. Each room is decorated to one scheme of colour whose name it bears. The mauve room is upholstered in pale mauve brocade and all the table cover: of the same delicate material. Gne room is called Rose and is, I think, the general favourite, the shade being particularly becoming; another is green, which looks fresh ingly cool on a hot day; and the fourth, known as the smoking room, is green and deep red—this, I think, is prettiest of all. Here letters may be written or callers received at any time of day. All the attendants are ladies, and their drosses of tucked grey voile are quite charming. Te is said—though the truth of the statement I cannot vouch for—that one line in their contract is to the effect that their hair must be dressed by Truefitt every day. In any ease, every style prevalent in hairdressing is to be seen there, as each face seems to be studied and suited. Some have a high dressing and some a. low one, which likewise applies outside these tea rooms; for far as fashion in hairdressing goes just now, it is a ease of "go as you please."
15th August.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.