The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-10-08
TEST WAS NOT FAIR"
SAYS EMILE BERLINER
Accident, Not Failure, for
Langley AerodrOme.
MISHAP PREVENTED TRIAL
"Clutch" Sending Machine on Track
DETECTED Airship Into the Water.
DR.. Langley's Statement.

NA~SNNA @N--oAAAR AANS ehN " FANNAs
Dr.. Langley's Statement.
"The test of Prof. Langley's aero
drome was not fair trial of the merits
of the machine. There was apparently
some flaw in the launching of the air
ship which made failure inevitable.
EMILE BERLINER."
The Langley airship, properly speaking,
was not launched yesterday-it merely
tImbled into the river. Instead of Ieav-
ing the launching car on plane hori-
zontal to the earth's surface. the airship
was diverted downward by an accident,
and dove into the water.
1T is probable that the additional
weight of man made the calculations
for launching incorrect" said Mr.. Ber-
liner This is the first time that an
aeroplane has been launched with man
off6oard, consequently Prof. Langley had
no precedent to guide him."
A Conference With Manly.
AS the outcome of the conference at
the Smithsonian Institution today be-
tween Prof. S. p. Langley and his as
sistant, ]. H.. Manly, the unsuccessful
test of the Langley aerodrome at Wide
water yesterday appears in a new light.
According to the report made to the in
ventor by Mr.. Manly, who operated the
machine in its attempted fight, clutch
holding the aerodrome to the launching
track caught at the end of that track
and Immediately detected the aero
drome from its true course.
DR.. Langley expressed to Times re-
porter today his mistaken confidence in
shis invention. and said the apparently
disastrous experiment had not in the
least discouraged him on the point OF
final success.
Dr.. Langley's Statement.
He then authorized the following
statement of his views regarding yes
terday's test:
Mr.. Langley states that he was not
an eyewitness of the experiment at
Whitewater yesterday, having been
detained in Washington by business.
but that on the report OF Mr.. Manly,
Immediately IN charge, he is able TO
say that the Iatter's FIRST impression
that there had been defective balanc-
ing was corrected by a minuter ex-
animation when the clutch which
held the aerodrome on the launching
ways and which should have re-
leased IL at the instant of the fall,
was found to- be injured.
The machinery was working per-
fcctly and giving every reason to an
ticipate a successful Hight, when this
accident. due wholly to the launch
ing ways. drew the aerodrome alb
ruptly downward AT the moment of
release and cast it into the water
near the houseboat. The statement
that the machine failed for lack of
power TO fly was wholly a mistaken
one.
The engine. the frame and all the
more important parts were practi-
cally uniniured. The engine is ae-
tually in good working order. The
damage done was cOnfinedGro the
slighter portions. like the canvas
wings and propellers, and these can
be readily replaced.
The belief of those charged with
the experiments in the ultimate sue
cessful working Of the machine is in
no way affected by this accident,
which is one of the large chapter
OF accidents that beset the initial
stages of experiments so novel as
the present ones. 1t is chiefly IN
fortunate as coming near the cid OF
the season when outdoor work OF
this sort Is possible.
Whether the experiments will be
continued this year or not, has not
yet been determined.
Plunged Into the Water
When the airship. with Charles N
Manly on board. was launched it plunge
Immediately into the muddy waters O
the Potomac The airship was wrecke
almost beyond repair. but Mr.. Mani
was unhurt. s 30 8
The Smithsonian experts put the aero
drome in place upon the superstructur
OF the ark yesterday morning. Mr.. Man
~ climbed into the car OF the sixty-foo
bird" started the motor. which work
ed perfectly, and gave the signal t
launch. The airship was hurled on II
way by the eatapult. AT the moment
left the launching car It was dedecte
downward and tumbIed into the waite
with a great splash. hardly thirty yard
from the ark
Mr. Manly was rescued from the waite
by some OF his assistants, and the air
ship was towed back 10 the ark by on
OF the attending tugs and hoisted o
board. broken beyond recognition.
Mr. Manly said after the test that tn
balancing power of the machine, base
upon experiments with models, ha
proved incorrect This balancing powt
Is perhaps the most difficult OF all II
problems connected with aerial fligh
Mr.. Manly said that in spite OF the fai
ure II the test. which was the first
its kind, his confidence in the ultima
success Of the machine was unchange
PASTOR CONSIDERING A CALL.
The Rev. J. w. Steele. pastor OF II