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A Parts correspondent says that the Emperor Napoleon has just made a present of 5,00Oft to a private in the Line, who asserts he has diseo"red a solution for the great problem in aeronautics—the art of flying. He has invented a kind of air ship, consisting of a platform of silk stretched over whalebone, to be propelled by two gigantic wings of the same material, placed on each side. The aerial navigator is to be suspended at a distance of about four feet from the platform, wJule his feet rest on pedals, by means of which the wings are set in motion, while his arms rest on & lever, whioh imparts to the platform the direction he chooses to give it. Only a model of this machine has yet been constructed, and it appears to work well. Thanks to the Emperor's munificence, it is now about to be constructed on a large scale. This is another evidence of the liberality of the extraordinary man now at the head of affairs in France, toward the progress of science and the mechanic arts. It was he who took the initiative step in making a European enumeration to our own Professor Morse for us service in bringing the magnetic telegraph rom the region of specn1ative seience into practical application, and throughout his career he has shown marked favors to all in-ventors who have in any manner benefited mankind by the resnlts of their genius. The Emperor, it is true, often lends his aid to chimerical ideas, but for the principle whioh dictates the course he invariably pursue8 to-ward distinguished originators in the arts and sciences, he deserves thQ unqualified praise and approval of all right-minded men.
