Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-08-20
PROF. LANGLEY THERE
Reaches the Scene of Airship
Experiments.
TALKS ABOUT THE TESTS
HOPES TO BE PRESENT AT THE
NEXT TRY FOR A FLY.
Houseboat Party Incomplete Without
tho NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Launch Soon.
TALKS ABOUTTHE TESTS

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
Underwater, Va. August 20.-Prof.
Samuel p. Langley arrived at the house.
boat in the Potomac, where his airship's
experiments are being made. at 12:45 this
afternoon. He reached Quantico on the
IL 81 train from Washington and was met
by Prof. Charles r. Maniey, his chief
assistant. The trip over to the houseboat
was made aboard the tug Key. When
the tug came alongside the inventor was
hailed by a reporter for The Star and asked
If he would make any statement in regard
to the coming test of the big sixty-foot
airship.
. Are you Prof. Langley?' the reporter
asked.
II am Mr.. Langley" the inventor replied,
with a shade of emphasis upon the title.
Have you come down to be present at
the first test of your airship Mr.. Langley?
the correspondent continued.
Il do not know that myself was his an
swer.
Then he smiled. and remarked that his
words might be a little hard to understand.
He Would Like to Be Present.
Later he made the following statement:
Il can say that If there is going to be
any test should surely like to be present,
which is my hope There may be no expert
ment in the immediate future in the sense
that this term is commonly employed. The
whole series is really a continued expert
ment with the airship, for the parts are
being repeatedly tested Any one who has
constantly studied this subject as 1 have
can readily see that 1t would be impossible
to make forecast.
"A short distance further up the river in
brief period my experiments resulted in
eight failures. 1t is not improbable that
the actual test of the airship will result I'M
satisfactorily. At any rate 1t is something
about which no human mind can make a
rational prediction
Went Into Household
Prof. Langley then turned away. bidding
his questioners a pleasant adieu. He climb
ed upon the deck of his houseboat to which
he had been a stranger for a long time. A
moment more and he had entered. AS the
airship party is now constituted it has
nearly a sufficient force for launching to
be attempted. There are about fifteen hands
in all and 1t is improbable that the number
will be greatly increased. Photographer
Smile is not yet present and he is among
the Indispensable ones.
1t is safe to assert that the big aerodrome
will not be sent off without facilities for
taking pictures at every stage Of the fight.
1t is believed here that launching will be
made soon.
Prof Manley returned to the Langley
houseboat from Washington this morning
AS usual he left the train at Quantico and
was conveyed to the ark in the tender
Key.
Mr.. Manley's trip is significant just at
this time when arrangements for a test are
thought to be about completed. Just before
the recent model experiment he made a
similar visit to Washington.
These journeys probably mean that some
important questions developed prior to the
tests about which the chief assistant felt
that he must look to the inventor for guild
ance.
After comparative calm in the early
morning. a strong northwest wind sprang I'D
and continued this afternoon
1t was not airship weather. Some work
was done on the elevated platforms.
Greatest Fears of Experts.
Among the greatest fears entertained by
the airship experts for the launching of the
big aerodrome is that she may take sud-
den downward or an upward course soon
after leaving the houseboat. Either of
these contingencies would most likely re-
suit in disaster.
Experience has shown that there is par
ticular danger right at this stage of the
trial. The process of launching may be all
right. The mechanical bird may be put
squarely into the air.
1t may be set straight for fight the in
slant of leaving the ways. but the succeed
ing few seconds. 1t appears, are especially
fraught with danger.
1t is just then that the wings receive
their first strain. They then adjust them
selves to the air currents That is the
stage when the aerodrOme is getting used,
so to speak, to its surroundings.
Before 1t strikes its true equilibrium and
steadies itself is where the most danger is.
A sudden yielding of the wings, though
slight, may be sufficient at this point to
throw the machine into a course from
which it will not make a proper recovery.
May Sustain Great Damage.
1t may be DETECTED upward in which
case the thing most liable to occur is that
the airship will fall back upon the house
boat, sustaining great damage.
With such an upward direction given Just
after the immediate act of starting the ma
chine will begin to climb an invisible hill.
The angle of ascent will determine its abil-
ity to force itself forward.
If the grade Is slight the airship will
have good chances of making an advance
until its course can be brought more nearly
into the horizontal.
But If the "hilr' is too steep the same
thing will occur which takes place on land
when a vehicle with insufficient motive
power is tried up an abrupt inclined plane
Now, this is one of the most disastrous
things that could possibly befaH the flying
machine, providing its return course should
bring 1t in contact with the houseboat
Striking forcibly against this hard, wood
en- structure, 1t can scarcely escape wreck
ing. And, of course, with the principal
aerodrOme such an event would be attend
ed with the greatest danger to the navi-.
gator.
Another Dreaded Condition.
On the other hand, sudden downward
course for the machine soon after leaving
the houseboat is nearly as much to be
dreaded.
1t would then be going under the full i'm
pulse of its engine. to which would be
added the influence of grayitation.
In such a circumstance the disastrous ac-
cident which marked the close of the flight
of the model tested two weeks ago would
inevitably await the big machine provid-
ing the downward angle be sufficiently
acute.
All the energies of the houseboat crew
would then be necessary to rescue the nav
igator and to recover the airship OF the
two. the latter is likely to be much the
easier task.
Unless the aeronaut, seeing the impending
disaster, is able to slip from his car into
the water before the plunge comes he will
have slim chances OF escape.
Would Be Hard on Navigator.
The wings and body Of the aerodrome,
with its intricate machinery above him,
would block his way to the surface
But the scientists have high hopes that