New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-03-01
PROFESSOR LANGLEY.

Few American scientists have won for them
selves the world-wid distinction achieved by
the late secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
His originality and thoroughness inspired uni
versa confidence in the results which he an
nounced. His conclusions have been quoted al
most as generally In Europe as IN this country.
Professor Langley was gifted with the ability TO
present the fruits of most of his researches In
way to make them understood by the multitude !
and yet years will elapse, we suspect, before the
full value of some of his work is realized
Professor Langley was best known as stu
dent of solar phenomena and 1t is probably no
exaggeration to say that in his handling Of the
problems which these have raised in the minds
of astronomers his best service TO the world was
performed. He sought to learn something about
the complicated structure Of the light giving
cloud shell of the sun. He attempted to deter
mine the amount of heat radiated by that body,
and the proportion of 1t which is subtracted by
the earth's atmosphere He examined the visible
spectrum to find which part of it emitted the
most energy He also investigated the invisible
extension beyond the red end of the spectrum,
and mapped region that was practically IN
known before his day. In this and certain other
undertakings he made use of an instrument
whose delicacy he himself increased TO a mar
vellous extreme His perfected bolometer meas
ured differences In temperature TO mllllonth
of degree! Though some Of his solar studies
were continued after he went to Washington,
they were prosecuted principally during the
twenty years Of his dictatorship of the Allegheny
Observatory He was a.justly famous man when
his formal connection with that institution
ended in 1887.
By the unfortunate accident that attended the
last public trial of his airship Professor Lang
ley was sadly discredited. That result was due
primarily to the fact that certain details OF the
purely incidental operation of launching were
intrusted to assistant. Concerning the sound
ness of the principles which the machine itself
embodied, however, there cannot be the slightest
doubt. Whether the aeroplane will prove dis
tinctly superior to the type Of dirship which
Santos -Dumont did much to develop is still an
open question. Lord Kelvin and a number of
other men whose opinions command respect be-
leve that it will. But that the aeroplane will
Ay and can be manRuvred when aloft Is now
beyond dispute. 1t is due to Professor Langley
TO say, moreover, that his Investigations of the
theory Of aerial navigation have been more elab-
crate. more profound and more Instructive than
those OF any of his contemporaries or any OF his
predecessors. The practical success Of the aero
plane in the hands of less distinguished men
seems to be fully assured; and their triumph is
really vindication of Professor Langley.
Worthily to fill the vacancy caused by his
death Will be no easy task. tor reasons WHICH
it is not necessary to discuss, the secretary
ship of the Smithsonian Institution is relatively
less important than 1t was when Joseph Henry,
Spencer F. Baird and Stephen Z. Langley were
appointed to the office. Nevertheless the post is
one of great responsibility, and it offers large
opportunities for usefulness. Properly to employ
these a man must possess broad culture and fine
administrative ability. in addition TO having at
tanned eminence in special department Of
science This is rare combination of qualif1ca-
tons.