The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-07-21
PROBLEM OF FLYING.
Prof. Simon Newcomb Demonstrates
Mechanically That It Can
not Be Solved.
But Prof. Langley and Alexander
Graham Bell Smile and Say,
"Watch U.s.
From The Journal Bureau, Room 45, Post Build
ing. Washington,

From The Journal Bureau, Room As, Post Build
ing, Washington.
Washington, July 21.-SWhile the world is
waiting for Professor S. P. Langley's first
full-sized flying machine, and to solve at
last the query which so perplexed Darius
Green, other scientists connected with the
government are telling why 1t can't he
done.
Birds fly. and why can't @ ask Darius
and Langley.
To which Professor Simon Newcomb.
expert mathematician for the naval OBJ
Seryatory, replies:
Because the weight of your big ma
chine increases as the cube, while the l11t-
ing surface increases as the square.
professor Newcomb has given some
study to the subject, and has reached the
conclusion that the construction OF an
aerial vehicle which could carry even
single man from place to place at plea
sure, requires the discovery OF some new
metal or some new force. "
Such was the professors statement IN
an article published in 1901, and he says
he has had no reason since to alter ms
views. He elaborated his position as fol-
lows:
'Iet us make two flying machines ex-
ectly alike, only make one on double the
scale of the other in all its dimensions.
We all know that the volume, and there
fore the weight, of two similar bodies are
proportional to the cube of their dimen :
sions The cube Of two is eight; hence
the large machine will have eight time the
weight of the other. But the surfaces are
as the square Of the dimensions. The
square of two is four. The heavier ma.
, chine will therefore expose only four
times the wing surface to the air, and SO
will have a distinct disadvantage IN tine
ratio of efficiency to weight"
Then Professor Newcomb shows that
where two flying machines are exactly
alike, differing only in the scale of theil
dimensions, the ratio of weight to sup
posting surface Is greater in the larger
than in the smaller, increasing with eacr
increase of dimensions. From which he
concludes that II the structure Is large
enough to carry a passenger 1t will be Too
heavy to fly.
Professor Langley's model aerodrome
which few was about ten feet in length
Its weight was thirty pounds. 1t Is sale
that the machine which has just beer
taken down the Potomac Is six times as
large According to Professor Newcomb
therefore, its weight IS the cube or SIX
or 216, times thirty pounds, or o,4s,
pounds This is on the supposition thai
the large machine Is an exact reproduc
tion of the small one, on larger scale.
But the supporting surface OF ma
chine six times as large would be only
about 218 square feet (the model having
about forty square feet of supporting sur
face in its wings).
Thus Professor Newcomb concludes tina
the larger machine should be unable II
lift itself from the ground.
Professor Langley has not exhibited hi
large machine, and declines to say any
thing about weights and dimensions; he Il
content to leave Professor Newcomb II
full possession of the theoretical field.
But Professor I.angley's friend, Alexan
der Graham Bell, inventor Of the tele
phone. and among the few witnesses .
the early experiments with the Langle,
aerodrome, has taken up the cudgel
against Professor Newco1nb AS has beer
related often, Professor Bell has beer
making experiments of his own with kite
at his summer home in Canada. H
claims to have demonstrated in these test
that Professor Newcomb Is all wrong i
his premises, and that the mathematics
principle which he cites does not apply t
flying machines at ALL He admits tina
1t would apply to the construction of
machine exactly like the model, only dill
fering in it's dimensions, but he says theI
Is way of multiplying the supportin
wing surface without more than a directl
proportionate increase In the weight.
other words, he knows how to get doub
the surface with double the weight, or 81
times the surface with six times til
weight
His method Of accomplishing this resu
was set forth in detail before the meetir
Of the National Academy Of Sciences la
April in this city. 1t consisted. briefly