[Illustration: The biplane in which G. H. Curtiss flew from Albany to
New York in 1910.]
Meantime the aeroplane has developed greatly in other directions. In
flying over land with the early types of machines many fatal accidents
occurred, particularly to the fliers who gave exhibitions everywhere
during 1909, 1910 and 1911. A majority of these accidents were
indirectly due to the fact that a very smooth surface is required for
landing a fragile machine running at high speed. The obvious expedient
was to develop machines capable of rising from and alighting upon the
water.
[Illustration: SOME FAMOUS FOREIGN MONOPLANES