Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-04
Again the Wind is Too Strong
for Airship Trial.
REPAIRING THE MOTOR
EXPERTS NOW FEAR SEPTEMBER
GALES WILL INTERFERE.
Langley and Manly Still Hopeful, but
Weary Watchers for the Flight Are
Not So Optimistic.

Special From a STAFF Correspondent
Underwater, Va, September 4.-The
Smithsonian flying machine experts con-
sumed the entire morning with the work Of
remedying the defect in the gasoline motor
which prevented the launching Of Prof
Langley's big aerodrome yesterday after
noon. They were still doing shop work this
afternoon. but had the engines been in
first-class condition an experiment would
not have been attempted up to o'clock.
owing to adverse weather conditions 1t
was the old story Of the wind. which blew
from the southeast at a mean velocity of
ten miles an hour.
Now Fear Bad Weather.
The experts are afraid that they will not
soon again have such beautiful weather as
they had yesterday for a launching. In
September the relative Gains on the south
Potomac are much less frequent than in
August.
Both Prof. Langley and Prof. Manly have
high hopes for a successful behavior of the
motor at the next attempted experiment
The unfortunate experience In the first triaI
at a launching taught lesson that will be
profited by before the aerodrome Is again
equipped for a flight.
When the next signal for start Is given
the motor will have been so carefully tested
that there Will scarcely De d poSSluAAly Va
any defect remaining unnoticed.
The Effort Yesterday.
Prof Manly labored in vain yesterday aft
ernoon from3 clock. when the last dispatch
from Whitewater to The Evening Star was
sent in, until almost in the effort to get the
motor Of Prof. Langley's aerodrome work
ing we'll enough to attempt a launching.
When the sun was sinking low toward the
Virginia hills and the gathering shades OF
evening convinced the photographers that
clear pictures of the machine could not then
be secured Prof Langley gave the order
to have the tugs recalled. He himself, from
the deck Of the tug Camilla, had been
disa appointed spectator to the tedious pro-
ceedings on the superstructure.
Anxious for Experiment.
He had been exceedingly anxious to have
an experiment yesterday afternoon, and
was 10th to see the efforts to that end
abandoned. The Camilla having steamed
up to the houseboat, Prof. Langley directed
that the machine be taken down. Up to the
time of receiving this word Prof. Manly
had worked increasingly. He showed an
unwavering determination to effect the
launching If 1t was possible to do 1t with
any promise of success. But 1t was ap-
parent even to those of the spectators who
knew nothing at all of machinery that at
no time in the afternoon did the motor
work sufficiently we'll to justify a launch
Ing.
There were several occasions when Prof
Manly succeeded in operating the propellers
rapidly several minutes without break
but instead of reaching 100 or more revo-
lutions per minute the propellers scarcely
made half that many turns And their
work was very irregular. accompanied by
considerable friction. Prof. Langley, after
the experiment was abandoned, made a
brief statement, in which he said:
Failure Disappointing.
1.-THE work of the afternoon has been very
disappointing to us all. The failure to have
an experiment was due to the discovery Of
a broken valve in the motor after the
aerodrome had been elevated to the super
structure" He added that he hoped that
the defect could be repaired during the
from saying anything else concerning the
unsuccessful days work.
Prof. Manly was attired in a light suit
for the aerial voyage. He wore white duck
trousers and jacket lined with cork to
assist in keeping him above water in the
event of the machine plunging under the
surface. Attached to his left knee was
watch, placed there to enable the aeronaut
to tell the exact time of starting and the
duration of the fight.
Throughout the entire day the weather
was splendid for a launching. There was
hardly time when the wind blew more
than two miles an hour.