Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-24
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ADDRESS DETAILING EXPERT
MENTs BY PROF. BELL
Defects in Construction of Machines
Referred to Lifting Power Explain
ed - Scientists Adjourn.

The spring meeting of the American
Academy of Science was brought to a close
yesterday afternoon after an informal
lecture by Prof. Alexander Graham Bell on
his experiments with flying machine. Be-
fore the close of the meeting Prof. AleXan-
der Agassiz president of the academy, an
nounced that the papers prepared by Prof.
Osborn and himself would be read at the
November meeting Of the academy in
Chicago.
This was great disappointment to many
Of the members, who had hoped that Prof.
Agassiz would tell something of his expert
ments in surveying the bottom of the
ocean.
Prof Agassiz had charge of the govern
ment work on the survey of the bottom Of
the Pacific ocean and recently made trip
In the coast survey steamer Albatross.
which was memorable in the knowledge
cleaned of the topography of this deepest
of oceans.
Prof. Bells paper was Of more than ~
ual interest not only because of the prOm1.
hence Of its writer in the scientific world.
but by reason of the fact that this is the
first statement that DIR. Bell has made OF
his experiments since he began work on the
nylng machine problem about a year ago.
He stated at the outset of his remarks that
he had observed two defects in all the fly
ing machines and kites that have been pre-
Is braced horizontally and perpendicularly,
but not in any other way so that when
cross pieces are put In place the weight Of
the machine is increased without materially
increasing the flying power. The second
defect was that of box kite. of which
Prof. LangleyS aerophone was elabOra-
ton. does not increase in flying power an
1t does in weight, thus the larger the kite
the less 1t Will lift in proportion.
Kite in Form of Triangle.
In view of these discoveries the speaker
said he had been led to construct kite
which would present the form of a tri-
angle at every side, the structure being a
perfect tetraheron. 1t was found that
such a machine was self-braced in every
direction, and that the lifting power in
creased at a greater ratio than the in
crease in weight In addition to this, a
kite so constructed is very easily man
aged. By making several strings of these
kites, the speaker said, he had been en-
abled to lift. not only. man, but weight
of 200 pounds.
Prof. Bell showed to the members of the
academy number Of photographs taken
in his laboratory which gave views of the
machines he had constructed. In eXplain-
ing the various views Prof. Bell took oc-
casion to state that the great advantage
of the kites he had constructed over others
was that they could be grouped in any
way found convenient, and by adding to
their number the lifting power could be
increased so that while half a dozen kites
might lift a weight of 200 pounds a hum
dred or more might be able to lift house.
With these kites a foundation Prof.
Bell said he had constructed an airship
that would lift 200 pounds. In connection
with his experiment with the kites and
airships Prof. Bell made note of some Inn
portant observations Of air currents at
sea which had been observed by him while
towing number of kites attached to the
stern of an ocean liner.
AT the conclusion of Prof. Bells paper
Prof. Theodore Gill Of the Smithsonian
Institute read biographical sketch of the
late DR.. ]. E. Holbrook, one of the first
writers on American herpetalogy and ich-
THEOLOGY, and Prof. A. L. Day read brief
paper on the melting point of simple glass.
AT the conclusion of the reading of the
papers Prof. Agassiz made announcements
regarding the autumnal meeting, and the
meeting was adjourned