Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-04

stated, though I tried to explain 1T at the
time"
As to the Future.
If 1t were left to you Mr.. Langley what
would you now like to do as to the ma
chine?" asked
IF that were the case" he replied, IT
should like to put 1t In order and launch 1t
under such conditions that 1t could show
It's possibilities of flight through the air.
The machine is not seriously injured and
IL could easily be repaired. Another
matter of much experiment and of consider
able expense. which is beyond my means"
May Fly From the Land.
Would you again use a house boat for
such an experiment.
Il cannot say as to that" replied Mr..
Langley. THE machine carries a man in II,
and 1t Is hardly fair to the man that IL
should be flown under such conditions that
II there Is failure he must fail into the
water It might be better to launch it from
the land"
But, Mr.. Langley" said I. 'is It not
softer to fall on the water than on the
land?
Il see that you do not understand how
these machines falls, said Mr.. Langley.
once fairly launched in the air they
descend like parachute, so gently that
there Is little danger to any one In them.
In the flights we have so far made, these
models once successfully launched. have
dropped down so very slowly and evenly
that glass Of water might have re-
manned In one of them and not been
spilled. The descent is generally con-
sidered the dangerous part of flying ma
chine experiments. l do not regard that
so in this case. and the aerial engineer
may prefer to descend to the land than to
the water" s. .--ts;z
Would 1t take you long to arrange mat
tiers for another attempt?"
1t would require five or six months
should say" was the reply.
Aerial Passenger Traffic.
You speak of the aerodrome as a war
engine. Do you think such machines will
ever be used in passenger transportation
Those matters are in the far future"
replied Mr.. Langley. 81 hesitate to speak
of them for fear 1 shall be thought i'm
practical. I see no reason. however. why
they should not be used for many COM
mercial purposes. In any case the air Is a
highway that leads everywhere and the
track is already laid
What speed can be attained by ma
chimes like yours?'
Flying machines, based upon the prin-
ciple upon which mine is constructed must
necessarily fly fast, or they will fall. They
cannot remain stationary. for the mo-
ment they stop their weight is such that
they begin to sink. For continued fight
we must have a minimum speed of about
twenty miles an hour, and we have gone
much faster than that The small models
have actually attained speed of about
thirty miles an hour, and the large one
may be expected to go indefinitely faster"
Science VS.. Money.
"Will you please tell me. Mr.. Langley"
said I. what has been your chief motive
in working upon such machines2 You
have devoted the leisure of third of your
active life to this subject. What have you
hoped from it?"
Il don't like to discuss motives" re-
piled Mr.. Langley. 1.-The truth, however,
is that the commercial end of this ma
chine has had nothing to do with the work
1 have put upon the subject during the
past twenty years. My life has been
along scientific lines and while
will not say that I am quite Indifferent
to the making of money, 1t never has been
my leading object If 1 were what Is
called rich man I should not hesitate to
complete these experiments at my own
expense. but as 1t is 1 shall have to rely
upon others to furnish the money IL / am
to do the work. AS to the commercial end
of the flying machine, / have been fire.
quently approached by men who have
asked me to patent 1t. / have never done
so, and, whether wisely not have never
sought to make 1t source of profit"
FRANK 6. CARPENTER.