Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-15
THEORY Is CORRECT
NO RADICAL CHANGE IN Buzz
ZARD WILL BE ENTERTAINED.
Principle Of Aerodrome the Best Known
and Strength Only is Essential.
to Success.
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
Underwater, Va, September 15.-The
several accidents which have attended the
attempts to launch Prot Langley's flying
machine will not. 1t is believed, result in
any radical departure from the principles
on which the inventor has relied for the
demonstration Of the practicability of me-
chanical flight. That the theory is all right
is confidently believed by Prof. Langley and
his chief assistant. Prof. Manly.
The success which has already been at
tanned in the experiments with the models,
the scientists feel. has proved this beyond
any reasonable doubt What is indicated
by the several mishaps is change in form.
weight or strength of certain mechanical
parts. not an abandonment of the general
principles on which the parts are con-
structed. The failure Of the propellers to
stand the strain placed upon them while
the aerodrome is stationary on the top Of
the houseboat with two-thirds Of the entire
power of the gasoline motor applied demon
strates the necessity for increasing the
strength of the screws. but 1t does not by
any means convince the experts that other
means of propelling the airship must be
evolved.
To Strengthen the Screws.
There is nothing wrong with the position
Of the screws with relation to the rest of
the machine nor Is there any fault to be
found with the power they furnish on the
repeated occasions when they have been
operated for several minutes at a time
without any breakdown. All that Is now
necessary is to increase the strength of
these apparatus without adding a prohibita-
BILE weight. Indeed. even this might not be
essential If the scientists felt justified in
rfsking the machine in the air without an
exhaustive test of the motor and propellers
before leaving the launching car.
The screws on the smaller flying ma
chimes have worked admirably. They
proved suffciently strong to stand the
strain. and their function was prettily per-
formed as long as the power from the mo-
tor was uninterrupted. That the same
thing will ultimately be accomplished with
the big machine is regarded as assured.
Prof. Manly. If he keeps his present atti-
tude. will work 1t out along that line until
success Is attained.
Will Maintain Principle.
Nothing has been more remote in the tenn
porary failure of the screws then the idea
OF abandoning of this method of propulsion.
The logical alternative would be found in
set of Tapping wings. Years ago, while
the plan of the present flying machine was
formative, Prof. Langley considered the
advisability of initiating the soaring bird.
But he soon became convinced that all the
indications were against this as compared
with the soaring creatures of the air. 1t
was almost infinitely easier. the inventor
believed to build machine to depOrt it
self in the air like the buzzard or albatross.
which soar, than like the pigeon. eagle or
other birds which navigate by rapid and
continuous up and down motion of the
wings Prof Langley. however. has never
asserted that such flying machine could
not be made. On the contrary he has ex-
pressed the opinion that 1t is a possibility
of the future.
But 1t may be said that 1t is in no way a
probability with Prof. Langley's present in
vention. To equip the body of the aero
drome with wings made to flap would ne
cessitate an entire change in the principles
employed.
Prof. Manly declined to give an opinion
as to when a launching of the airshtp will
be attempted. but intimated that It will be
tried just as soon as the repairs to the
machine can be completed. According to
the chief assistant the damage done by the
wrecking of the propeller Saturday was not
as serious as at first reported. But nothing
is expected in the way of a launching until
the middle or latter part of the week
The houseboat Is now equipped with at
least four good propellers, and workmen are
busy with the frame of the one broken.
With several men engaged it only takes
day to make new propeller.