Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-07-18
A|RSH|P SLIPS AWAY
Boat Breaks Moorings and
Floats Up the Potomac.
GREAT EXCITEMENT T
PROF. LANGLEY WORKING ON
PREPARATORY PLANS.
Machine Was Not Damaged and Ex-
periments May Be Made at an
Early Date.
GREAT EXCITEMENT
Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star
Underwater, Va. July 1S.-Prof. Lang
ley's airship took an unpremeditated voyage
up the Potomac this morning. 1t was not
trial trip. The ships sails were not spread
to the breezes, but confined within its boat
hodse. The vessel sped to the northwest
before fierce southeaster for an hour or
more until an anchorage was found.
Beaten for several hours by wind which
gradually grew to gale the houseboat
slipped from her moorings this morning at
$50. She moved so rapidly before the wind
that her progress was easily perceptible
from the Virginia shore. People at Wide
water watching the clumsy craft expected
to see it blown to the shore about the mouth
of Chappawamsic creek, three and half
miles north of this place. but perhaps six
miles from where the boat was first
Chored
Dragged Her Buoy.
But she was brought up after travelling
several miles. although the wind and tide
had not abated. One of the two large
buoys between which she was first station
ed was dragged after her. Everything con-
nected with the boat house, including the
small launch with the model propeller was
carried along. The craft remained through
cut the morning where her two heavy
anchors had stopped the sudden flight.
1t is expected that when the gale dies out
Prof Langley will direct return to the
original position. He is believed to have
been voyager this morning on his boat
house as a steam launch brought the usual
party down from the Mount Vernon club
house below Quantico earlier in, the day.
Everybody Curious.
When the craft got off before the wind all
the energies of the workmen on board were
required to manage her as best they could.
From the shore people watching with
glasses could see remarkable activity to-
ward the stern. Men were up aft on the
superstructure apparently watching with
great concern the taut lines holding the
anchor Other work on board was suspend
ed for the time.
In fact before the boat started the heavy
sheets of rain pouring on the upper frame
work rendered operations on the car and
track impracticable. The water for miles
around the original anchorage, except to-
ward the Maryland shore. is shallow at low
tide At no time in its course this morning
the boat house near the channel and it
IS believed that the interruption of plans
was the principal damage wrought by the
elements.
Will the Problem Be Solved?
VIII the problem of aerial navigation be
solved by the experiments soon to be made
by Prof. Samuel p Langley? is the anxious
inquiry on the minds of the inventor and his
associates in the present expedition, as the
time set for the first trial draws nearer.
The plans of many years having been de-
veloped. success failure in the coming
effort. which will be thorough and eX-
hauStive. will be regarded -l decisive
testimonial either to the excellence the
incompetency of the scheme. Many ex
periments in the working out of the prob
lem have been made the Potomac by
Prof. Langley. but they We're intended as
preliminaries to the one now being
ranged for. The measure of success or
failure which attended these earlier efforts
1T is asserted is reasonable guide to the
inventor In drawing a prophetic line ON the
behavior of his apparatus when it is placed
upon its own merits.
But the trial of models of the airsh.p
while of much interest can not be com
pared with that of the snip itself. How
ever much of encouragement the inventor
may have received heretofore, that will all
go for naught in vindictting the prime pie
of his scheme il is pointed out. if the final
test falls through. No one recognizes the
Importance attaching to the trial trp of
the airshp more fully than Prof. Langley
There is an impression here that the in
ventor will hc the navigator of his own
vessel. Certainly no one is SO well ac-
Quainted he with the wo. kings of the
craft. and it is not believed he Will intrust
1t on its first trip 10 some one else.
Confronted by Problem.
The principal concern of Prof Langley
and his assistants on the boat house at
resent seems to be the problem of success
fully arranging for giving the aeroplane a
sufficient momentum In its start to insure
itE continued flight There are indications
that the workmen are now engaged in put
ting the finishing touches to this part of
the plans. Only glimpses of what is going
on inside the floating house can be OBJ
tanned but IT is believed the portion of the
machinery devised to start the apparatus
is being put into position. There is a
straight stretch of track of something like
seventv-fve feet from which the air yes
sci will take its initial plunge. When it
leaves the ways il will be at a height of
thirty feet from the water. The car track
Is nearly level
Now the question is whether or not sufIi-
Client speed can be reached on such a short
plane to successfully launch so large an
apparatus. 1t has been suggested that the
matter might have been simpliied II the
track had been inclined at the starting end
but IL appears to be nearly level as pos
sible.
II is said that Prof Langley when his
boat is ready. Will select calm weather for
the experiment stiff breeze might in
ferfere with the management of the craft
to such extent to hinder its flight
Since the boat house arrived here the river
has been as placid as a lake. and ii is said
that II is likely to continue So in the main
during this month.