Martian fliers (Mandal-Uttima)

Fliers from the Martian country of Mandal-Uttima, as described in Journey to Mars: the wonderful world: its beauty and splendor; its mighty races and kingdoms; its final doom (1894) by Gustavus W. Pope.

“…the Ethervolt, or anti-gravitation batteries, which generate a peculiar Martian force called Maha-Dunamos.” 

This force allows them to use travel through space, in ships called Ethervolt Cars and Nai Taraza (Ship of the Stars):

“The Shape of the car was parabolic, resembling that of a pear. It was thirty feet high, by twenty feet wide at the base, constructed apparently of crystal and brilliant as polished silver. A row of small circular, double windows ran around its circumference and a circular door communicated with the interior; a long, slender metallic staff projected from its summit tipped on the end with a bright green ball.” 

These ships allow one to travel from one planet’s pole to the corresponding pole of another. In addition to their spacecraft, the Mandal-Uttimans use similar aeovolt batteries to build ships similar in manner to the Eighth Ray Fliers. These ships are called Nai Filius, or Air Ship:

“It was about eighty feet long by twenty abeam, shaped like a spindle and constructed of bright blue colored metal. Its deck was flat and surrounded by a high railing. Its prow projected out like the nose of a pike, or swordfish, and was tipped on the end with a small green ball like that on the Ethervolt car. Its stern was obtuse and its rudder resembled the tail of a bird. It was pierced along the sides with small circular windows, and two at the prow resembled the eyes of a fish. Three great wings, each twenty feet long and shaped like those of the frigate bird, projected from portholes on either side.”

“The great propelling wings waved gracefully to and fro like the wings of an eagle and the ship moved onward with a swift and steady motion.” 

"flocks of little air ships and quaint looking aerial chariots flying to and fro in all directions."

The Mandal-Uttimans also make use of devices called aerostats and gyrals to allow individuals to fly:

“Captain Volanto quickly cast a belt around his shoulders, snatched up a short metallic staff to which was attached a small crystal globe, hooked it firmly to his belt, and taking up an instrument resembling a small folded parasol, secured it to the strap … stepped on the railing, sprang over and disappeared. … ’…As for the Captain, armed with his aerostat and gyral, he wouldn’t mind jumping from the ship if it were ten miles high.’ … Captain Volanto was suspended a few feet above the waves, upheld by his aerostat, which shone like an electric light… 'no man was ever lost from an air ship flying over the ocean, although many have fallen over board. The jackets with which we are clothed contain within the lining a small quantity of the crystallized chemical elements of the atmosphere which are decomposed when water comes in contact with them, and evolve large quantities of air which swells the jacket out, forming a perfect life preserver, supporting the body above water’ …I examined the aeorstat. It was a crystal globe about a foot in diameter containing a small aerovolt battery and fastened to the straps around the shoulders. By touching a spring in the handle, the wearer could increase or decrease its elevating power, and thereby ascend to any required height, or descend at pleasure. The gyral was a flat, parasol shaped air fan about three feet in diameter when opened. It’s framework was composed of delicate metallic vanes arranged at the required angle about the staff, or handle, within which was a small electric motor. It was held in the hand or attached to a belt around the waist. When put in motion, it revolved with immense velocity, and when the wearer was upheld by his aeostat, it could draw him through the air faster than a horse on full gallop.”