The Washington times., 1902-12-27
BELL INNENTS A KITE,
NOT A FLYING MACHINE
Perfects Aeroplane Device
That VIII Lift a Man.
He WILL NOT EXPLAIN NOW
May Make Public Details of Construc.
tion at Some Future Time-An-
1ouncements Premature.

Mr.. Bell has been interested for years
in the aeroplane experiments of Prof
S. p. Langley. OF the Smithsonian In
stitution. These experiments have been
made near Washington, principally from
q boat in the Potomac River.
Mr.. Bell has given out the following
statement regarding his experiments:
The newspapers have been premature
IN announcing that 1 have been at work
upon a flying machine. / haven't any fly
ing machine at all-snd have not been
trying to make one.
Il am. OF course. interested in the
problem and have come tU the cOnclu-
sion that a properly constructed flying
machine should be capable OF being flown
as a kite, IL anchored 10 the ground; ana
that. conversely, a properly constructed
kite should be capable OF use as q flying
machine II provided with suitable means
OF propulsion
My experiments have had as their
object the building OF a kite OF solid
construction capable OF carrying up in a
moderate breeze weight equivalent 10
that of a man and engine. and so form
ed that # would be suitable for use as
the body OF flying nlachine-and with
supporting surfaces so arranged that
when the kite is cut loose it will come
down gently and steadily and land IN
injured.
Il have successfully accomplished
this. but do not care at the present
time to make public the details Of con-
struction."
A Student Of Aeronautics.
Mr.. Bell has long studied the prob
lens OF aeronautics. and this summer
instituted series OF kite-fying expert
ments at his summer home on Cape
Breton Island.
These experiments begaf early in June
and lasted Until nearly the first OF De-
cember.
Il shall say nothing further about
them at this time that is not embodied
IN my statement" Mr. Bell said last
night. Il shall not say what have or
have not done, or wat form the eX-
periments have taken, or anything OF
that kind. At some future time. Just
when ] cannot even intimate / shall
make public such other features OF the
experiments as the -esults justify"
Prof Bell refused to discuss his ex-
perimentB as compared with the Lang
ley experiments II lB believed he viii
study the problem at his homo In this
city this winter from the Theoretical
point of view and not make further ex-
periments until the spring.
Mr.. Eddy's Views.
In a recent article william A. Eddy
the kite-fyer. said;
Octave Chanute, OF Chicago, who re-
Gently compiled a classified list Of hy-
tng-machins experiments in the past 6OC
years, declares that TO Prof. S. p. Lang
ley, Of Washington, belongs the credit
OF making the greatest advance in aerial
navigation. Prof Langley. several years
ago, built model flying machine thai
made a circuit of three-quarters OF z
mile at an elevation Of 500 feet abov,
the Potomac River.
THE RerOplane. as 1t was called in
troduced a new principle in aeronautics
q principle which IT Is firmly believed
is the only one yet discovered that vii
make navigation OF the air a practica
possibility.
Prof. Alexander Graham Bell. who
was associated with Prof. Langley II
some OF his experiments, has been en-.
gagged the past summer in perfectinl
q iying-machine on the aeroplane prin
ciple."