50 Years Ago

A Collection of Tables and Nomograms for the Processing of Observations made on Artificial Earth Satellites. By I. D. Zhongolovich and V. M. Amlin — This volume is a welcome addition to the very few existing mathematical tables which are designed to help in the calculation of artificial satellite orbits ... The tables themselves have been reproduced from the Russian original by a photographic process, and only the 10 introductory pages needed translating. Despite its minimal contribution to the subject-matter, the Pergamon Press has chosen to charge £5 for the volume, although it was advertised at 70s ... There are irritating errors ... Also, the translation is at times sadly deficient ...These shortcomings do not, however, seriously mar the value of the volume to the specialist.

From Nature 16 September 1961

100 Years Ago

On Saturday, September 9, the aërial post was inaugurated by Mr. Gustav Hamel, one of our most brilliant flyers, who carried a sack of letters in a Blériot monoplane from Hendon to Windsor in thirteen minutes ... The other aviators who should have started were prevented by the thirty-mile wind, and no further deliveries took place until Monday, when Messrs. Greswell and Driver carried six mail-bags over in the early morning ... The affair has aroused great interest, so much so that it is as well to sound a word of warning and say that the aëroplane post is neither practical, useful, nor economical. Letters can be sent far more cheaply, trustworthily, and conveniently by train or motor-van, and it is to be expected that these conditions will continue for the next half-century at least ... Besides, it is unthinkable for very many years to come that we should put good aviators to the menial task of carrying mails regularly.

From Nature 14 September 1911