The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1903-08-04

heavy to lift itself from the ground.
The machine which will be tested
is about 60 feet in length. The
largest of Professors Langley's mod
els was scarcely a tenth as long The
model was propelled by steam en-
CINE weighing seven pounds, and gen
Grating about one and one-half horse
power; the full-sized machine will
be propelled by 25-horse power gas
series, about $50 pounds.
The machine has been built in
separate parts and at different places,
and will not be completely assem-
bled until the various parts reach
the site chosen by Professor Lang
ley on an island in the lower part of
the Potomac river. near Quantico and
Point Tobacco, Va.
The motor and body Of the ma
chine as it may be called. is now in
Professor Langley's houseboat, moor
ed at wharf at the foot of Eighth
street.
Above the house part Is an elabo-
rate superstructure supporting a re-
volving platform and about so feet
of railroad track. This platform,
like a railroad turn-table, is so ar
ranged that it may be swung around
in any direction so as to accommo-
date the flying machine to the pre-
vailing wind.
From the tracks the machine will
make its leap into the air, but 1t is
necessary for the success of the
launch that the machine be directed
into the teeth of the wind until it
shall have got it's Roadway. An
other feature of the superstMcture
is small crane for lifting the ma
milne into place.
The aeroplane proper, or the wings
of this great machine, have not been
brought to the houseboat which
would not be large enough to shelter
them if placed into position. The
boat is SIS feet long and about 80 feet
wide. According to the proportions
will measure more than so feet from
tip to tip of it's wings or planes. 1t
is probable that they will be- shipped
separately to the chosen ground and
put into place there.
The weight of the machine, when
fully assembled, with be more than
a thousand pounds. Just how heavy
it will be is not yet known to the
inventor. But mere weight does not
disturb Professor Langley sotlong as
he gets the proportionate amount of
plane surface to support the weight
The new machine will carry a man.
The body Of the structure is pro-
vided with small platform with pro-
tecting ratings, on which the per-
son operating the device will stand.
From this position he will be able
to control the engine, and the steer
ing gear with which the 'airshipp
will be provided. To steer the ship
will be no simple operation. Many
aeronauts believe that 1t IL on this
stumbling block that all efforts at
mechanical flight will be wrecked.
In the matter of speed. 1t may be
said that. If the machine is not an
entire failure, it will rival the birds
in swiftness. The model made 80
miles an hour with apparent ease.
The full-sized machine must have at
least 80 miles in order to overcome
average winds. But Professor Lang
ley anticipates that 1t Will make 60
miles an hour in still air and un-
der favorable conditions will travel
much more rapidly than that relative
ly to the earth.
diture of nearly $4,000. OF this sum
$4,000 was appropriated by congress
at the request of the war department
and the additional money was sup
piled by Professor Langley and some
of his friends. The machine rep
resents Is years of study and con-
slant experiment. 1t was built in
the loft of the Smithsonian insti-
tuition under lock and key.
Especial interest is taken in the
Forthcoming test by experts of the
army board of coast defense. the war
department, ordnance bureau and the
navy ordnance bureau, as Professor
Langley proposes to demonstrate that
the flying machine is not only a per-
feet locomotor but may be a powerful
engine Of destruction in time of
war
1t is for this reason that a part
of the demonstration VIII be the
dropping of torpedoes from the ma
chine both on land and sea. the fly
ing machine, If 1t works as expected,
will be Of the first consequence to
army and navy.