The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-08-11

Underwater. Va, August "A nart-
ly successful experiment with RI. *
loot Langley air ship. was made th;s
morning from the house boat in the
fotomac river off this point. The
aeodorme started we'll in a straight
me south with a velocity of 70 feet per
second and flew a distance variousIv
estimated at from four to six hundred
yards. Some DETECTION in the wines
soon after the launching caused bar IN
take downward course which She fol-
lowed rapidly and was 1mpelIed info
the water under the full power of her
engine. There was sufficient steam
generated for a rapid flight of a half
OF tnree-quarters of a mile Under tho
Iuli pressure Of this force the machine
struck the water and a moment moro
mad disappeared from view. The ma
cnlne was recovered. 1t was consid-
erably DANA ged
me Ilachlne was taken to the house
oo1l "here extensive repairs will have
10 De made before another test can he
pulled Off ''- NC
" given signal the model was dis
pdlcHeu on Its voyage The Iaunchine
car was pulled back to the leeward of
the superstructure and sent forward
On lts track at rapid velocity. When
the WlndWard end was reached the ma
chlne shot forth. A better launching
could not have been desired. The
smithsonian scientists believed that
the highest hopes were about to he
realized. but after the first few Sec
onds OF light. the wings were defected
and the flying machine went downward
tom OF the Potomac. She was travel
ing at rate Of about forty miles an
hour
When the machine was raised from
the water workman ATTEMPTED to
cover it with cloth. but for a. long
tlfne was unsuccessful. Its mechanism
ana dimensions were plainly Seen from
| the press boat twenty feet aWay. If
was equipped with four wings. two ON
| each SIDE, about four by six feet, made
| OF the finest oil silk and help upon deli
cate wooden rods. The wings were
SNAPPED like a tent. The body con-
| sisted of an intricate ARRANGEMENT of
hne steel rods with cylinders. motor
and boilers carefully balanced. Be
tween the two sets Of wings were sit
| uated the propellers, two in number
equipped with two blades. The steer
ing geer was situated at the rear and
was constructed from material like the
l 'AASS' AiiO Is supposed TO gen
crate something in excess Of two horse
power. Several photographs were Sc
cured of the machine in flight. The
wind against which it flew was about
four miles an hour
| Chief Assistant ManIey of the Lang
ley expedition made the folloWins
statement:
The experiment was entirely sue.
ceSsful. All the data which this ma.
chine was designed to furnish was OBJ.
tanned The equilibrium was perfect
the power adequate and the supportins
surface ample. No accident occurred
Some of the wood work Of the wing.
and rudder was slightly damaged b,
the graphing hooks used in taking tn,
aerodrome from the water. but no es
sential parts were injured Were an
other test desired this afternoon tn,
same machine could be used 1 hay
I nothing further to say at present.
shall make a full report of the tes
to Secretary Langley"
| Soon after the houSe-boat was close,
and the party went to Washington OF
a tug. Before leaving both the Iarg
and small launching carriages were re
| moved from the SuperStructure