has, in the main, been confined to ordinary legitimate corrections, the articles having been regarded and treated to all intents and purposes as a first proof. The last two chapters, however, include new matter; they are for this reason undated.
That it is at least desirable to give the dates of first publication is determined by the fact that the ever ready plagiarist commonly has one's writing over his own name almost before the ink of the original has had time to dry.[1] Beyond this the author has no wish to present as a new edition, matter which is more justly entitled to rank as a reprint; he has the satisfaction of knowing that articles in a technical journal, whatever its standing may be, can never appeal to so wide a circle as publication in book form.
- ↑ A coincidence such as the following scarcely requires comment.
From an article contributed by a certain writer to the "Westminster Gazette," February 26th, 1909:— From a paper read by the author December 8th, 1908, before the Aeronautical Society of Great Britain; as reported in "The Engineer," December 18th, 1908, and as subsequently published in the proceedings of the Society, January, 1909:—
"... that Lilienthal invented a gliding apparatus, which was improved in its structural features and in its method of control successively by Chanute and the Wright brothers, until the latter, by installing a comparatively light-weight motor and screw propeller, achieved, for the first time in history, a man-carrying machine propelled by its own motive power." "The gliding machine originated by Lilienthal, was improved especially as to its structural features and its method of control, successively by Chanute and the Brothers Wright, until the latter, by the addition of a lightweight petrol motor, and screw propellers, achieved, for the first time in history, free flight in a man-bearing machine propelled by its own motive power." Unfortunately, even though one may be morally certain as to the fact, it is not usually possible when broad opinions or the general results of an investigation are taken without acknowledgment, to "pillory" the offender; it is only when concerned with a quite trivial matter of words, as in the foregoing, that an accusation can be brought home. If such cases were clearly deliberate they would morally constitute a theft, since Editors commonly pay according to the space filled, but it is fair to assume that plagiarism of this kind is quite unconscious, what is read or heard one day, masquerades in the writer's mind as inspiration the next.
Occasionally one is fortunate, as the author when his theoretical method of treating the problem of the screw propeller was attributed to Drzewiecki in a report in which the author's specially invented terminology was used throughout. Those who misappropriate another man's gold should take the ordinary precaution of throwing away the purse.
