Makes An Airship Stable.

New York Times 100 years ago today, February 15, 1913:
French Inventor's Pendulum Device Tested Before Army Experts.
By Marconi Transatlantic Wireless Telegraph to The New York Times.
    PARIS, Feb. 14.— At a fete given in honor of President-elect Poincaré at the Louis le Grand Lycee to-day Rene Quinton, President of the French National Aero League, announced that a secret automatic device for the stability of aeroplanes had been discovered. This, said Mr. Quinton, was great news.
    The inventor, named Moreau, made experiments on an aeroplane in the presence of War Office officials, and flew with a passenger for forty-five minutes without touching the controlling levers of the aeroplane except for the purpose of rising and descending. On this occasion the wind sometimes blew twenty-five feet a second.
    Mr. Moreau has been studying the question for more than six years. He is a bookseller's agent and the father of six children. Money for the experiments was furnished by relatives.
    The invention, which experts regard as the best for the purpose in existence, is a pendulum placed beneath the wings, and acts as a kind of balance. This pendulum works automatically when gusts shake the machine violently.
    Gen. Herschaner, permanent Inspector of military aeronautics, who has been closely following the experiments, has done all in his power to avoid the attention of foreigners being called to the invention, which he hopes to obtain for the French Government.