The Washington times., 1904-01-20
DINNER IN HONOR
Of PROF. LANGLEY
Flying Machine the Toast
at Unique Feast.
PROBLEM FOR YOUNGER MEN
John BTisben Walker Expects to See
Air Full Of Vehicles Within
Twenty-Five Years.

NEW YORK. Jan. 90 John Brisben
Walker gave a flying machine dinner
last night at the So 4ldorf-Astoria 20
Prof Samuel p. Langley. the secretary
of the Smithsonian institution and the
inventor of the unaer.al machine whicn
recently engaged me attention Of scien-
lists.
The object Of the dinner was 10 do
honor TO the sincere effort which Prof.
Lansley nas made to solve the problem
OF aerial navigation and To show appre>
citation for The impetus which he has
given 60 others Who are working TO the
same md.
Notable Guests.
Mr. Wake gathered remarkable
Company o. erests To aid him iu doine
honor to Prof LanEley Among chem
were NJ. Santos-D umont, whose machine
flies. Lewis Nizon who has made some
things that would float en- water. and
others that wouldn't Edwin Markham,
who prefers air. Arthur Brisbane. the
deepest thinker cf his own age: Charles
~. Nancy. the man who went down In
Prof. Langiev's machine. but who
proved his good sense ANA saved his Nfe
by wearing tathing suit. ana many
others Including former Secretary of
the III asury Lyman J. Gage, Elhu
Thomson, Patrick Farrelly Joseph q.
HeniriS Gel william %. Church Pres
ident Finley of the City College; Rear
Admiral Melville. Major General Davis.
ana Charles FF3ncis Adams. There ~ere
aoout sixty guests.
Prof. Langley Speaks.
prof Langley toid Of his twenty wears
struggle to get the secret Of aerial navi-
CATION He told OF the. eucourage cement
that came to him In 1886. i'm his moment
or greatest gloom. when ne perfected an
aeroplane that rose swiftly ilto the air
and made long hights-as long as the
motive .s9wer held out-and achieved a
speed 81 twenty-five miles an hour.
Since then there had been another
period Of hard work with but little re-
suit 20 show 20 a scomnE world. al
though there had been much to comfort
him as an inventor The reduction of
the weight Of motors from fft pounds
per horsepower to four pounds per horse
power made conditions much better FOL
carrying on the work.
The failures Ga the Potomac last sum
mer.and fan were not due 10 amy mis-
take in the construction OF the machine
itself or ia the theory of Its constrsc-
tion. bur 10 a defective lamch Dg mech
an!s5n.
'sF-ain TOO old. me speaker saiG az -fee
end, 10 finish what I have begun. /
am sure that some younger man chan I
win take up the work where have left
OF. und I am confident that he VIII
succeed.
Ny. Walkers Prophecy.
Mr.. walker fonoved prof Langley by
making few confident prophecies. He
sid, in substance:
Il am speaking. not fancifully. but de-
iiberateiy when I say I believe most
confidently that the flying machine vii
be commercially available within twelve
months" mr. Thomson jumped, Mir
Markham sighed. Mr. Nixon began ng
uring, and Nr. Manley looked very
solemn indeed.l
Mot only win Il furnish the cheapes
means OF transportation. but the safest
] cay this in the belief that IL VIII b'
the only recognized method Of transpor
tation within twenty-five years. j sa!
the safest means OF transportation. How
will there be any cclisions2 Your high
Ways will be on different planes one
thousand feet above the other.
Il see mr.. Farreiiy smiling over Their
as though De doubted the pracucabillu
Of these statements; 4 believe SHAT be
who has 70 transport hundreds Of thou
sands Of packages OF publications al
over the word. VIII be one OF lhe frs
10 realize the capacity OF the flying ma
chine 10 adapt itself 20 the purposes O
freight carrying"
Meriham's Views.
Edwin Markham was then called upor
becaafe he had told Mr. Walker that b
wanted to Be- let out early -to, catch
boat re turned loose "a fcw subma
rire thoughts. among which were these
NO man mas tho right ~ write upo
the path1. ay OF mankind. NO thorough
farer
81 prophesy! / prophcsy that We sna
live e. see the day when we have ain
ships m0orcd about our bay window
When We shall run Gown 20 busine-
on shem a. though we were calling ou
Condsas. as though we were boardin
our thps or our aulomoblIes for "a ri
to the shops. 20 Europe. or 20 ia
Cathay!
after mr. Markham had been let on
eantos-I)un1ont regretted that he wa
not sufficiently acquainted with th
English lanEuare To make an addres
worthy 81 the occasion. But ne had jus
two words with which 20 express Dol
appreciation and his hope IN such me
a. Prof Langley and Mr. Walke
These were: "Be constant"
Mr walker injected this !uto the g..
tiviues ii this point.
'H0w much could Japan or RUSS.
afford ~ pay Tor tins machine @
DAY. 81 she slight and trivial diff
cuties which stand IN the way Of 8,
perfection could be brushed aside2"