The Washington herald., 1907-05-21
Resumes His Experiments at
Once With New Kite.
BASIS FOR FLYING MACHINE
Scientist Highly Pleased with the
HOnOrS Conferred on Him at Ok
ford - Describes Quaint Customs
still Observed at the British Uni
vcrsity in Announcing Degrees.

turned TO Washington from a brief visit
to England, where he was honored at
oxford University with a degree of doe
tor of science. The distinguished Ameri-
can inventor and scientist has entirely
recovered from the illness that made his
ocean voyage advisable, and is as en-
thusiastic as ever about his experiments
in aerial navigation He arrived in Wash
ington only Sunday night. and early yes
terday morning was off to his expert
mental station in Virginia 10 try out one
Of his new style man-lfting kites, which
he believes to embody the principles Of
successful aerial flight
In a few days Dr. Bell will sail 10 his
summer home, in Nova Scotia. where he
has an extensive laboratory. Throughout
the summer he will devote himself 10 fur
ther experiments with his great kites, and
for the first time will install motive
power and endeavor to transform kite
into flying machine His experiments
have reached the stage where he has
succeeded in producing a "heavier-than-
air" structure that will lift man I'm a
moderate breeze, and at his laboratory he
has material % build machine that vii.
lift both a man and gasoline motor. The
experiments viii be conducted upon water
to prevent any possible casualties.
Dr. Bell, who IS among the very few
Americans upon whom oxford has con-
feTred degrees. and the only one 90 have
received the degree Of doctor Of science
from the great English university cx-
presses himself as signally hOnored and
deeply appreciatiye of the distinction
paid him by the English institution. The
degree was conferred principally I'm recoE-
milton Of Dr.. Bells invention OF the tele-
phone ard his work in teaching speech 10
the deaf and dumb. Dr. Bell has already
had fourteen or fifteen degrees conferred
upon him by big American and European
universities but he admits that the SCI
enufc degree is the one he most highly
priced.
oxford Ceremonies Interesting,
The ceremonies attending tho be
stowaI Of the degree at oxford. DR.. Bell
found TO be most interesting. Tradi-
tion and obsolete customs still have
their influence on such occasions I'm
England. and TO one not accustomed
to them some Of the features Of the de,
| gree day exercises at oxford are anus
ing. Dr. Bell was particularly Inter
ested in the official duties performed
by the proctors. In describing part OF
the ceremonies at oxford DIR. Bell said
last night:
Although I had been informed
month or more ago that ] was 10 be
honored with an oxford degree, the
customary procedure Of voting upon
the question of my eligibility to- the
honor was reserved until the day Of
| the ceremony. In deep crimson cap and
gown / waited I'm the building adjoin-
/ ing Magdalen College, where the cere.
monies were 20 take place, while the
/ formal vote was taken. and it was de-
g!ded that l should be given the de-
gree Then two beadles. bearing a gold
and silver mace. respectively. came
/ across tho court yard and requested me
/ 10 follow. Accompanied by Prof Love
/ OF the faculty Of science. I was escorted
/ into the big hall by the beadles and led
/ TO the platform before the vice chan
cell0r Of the university. while the un-
! dergraduate body. filling the main part
| Of the hall. spplauded with gratifying
| enthusiasm
Degree Is Announced.
Prof Love then read the announce
ment Of my degree I'm Latin, and the vice
/ chancellor addressed me and the assem-
/ blage in Latin. II was very impressive.
/ but / fear that my weakness I'm Latin
/ prevented me from understanding "a great
part. After / had received my degree,
! there followed number Of students get
/ ting their NJ. As. II was then that I
noticed the proctors.
They were standing one on each side
( Of the vice chancellor and as each stu
dents name was called. the two prOctors
marched solemnly to the rear of the hall,
turned around and marched back again.
| This was repeated for each student.
There seemed to be absolutely no connec-
I ton between the march TO and fro of
| the proct0rs and the calling forward Of
( the recipient Of the degree until had it
explained to me. Il seems that the Gus
/ tom is relic Of an ancient and honora-
| BILE part Of such ceremonies at the uni
yersity.
/ In the old davs. the trades people
were admitted TO these exercises. When
each students name was called the proc
| tors would march down the aisles. and If
/ there were any tradesman present who
was a creditor of the student, he would
reach ont and pluck the prOctors sleeve.
/ The student then could not receive his
degree until he had settled accounts with
/ the tradesman. Now there are no trades
men present, but the proSors still prone
made back and forth like the King Of
| France who marched his army up the
hill and down again"
/ Tells of New Kite.
The new kite that DR.. Bell experiment
/ cd with yesterday is constructed on the
principal of the l beam used so exten-
| siyely in modern architecture. a sec
/ tional view Of the new kite looks like an
/ Y. the thinning in at the middle greatly
| reducing the weight and at the same time
/ increasing the strength of the structure
! The kite was completed just before Dr.
/ Bell left for England and he was in
doubt as To whether the new kite would
/ fly as steadily as the old straight side
/ structure Yesterdays experiment was
! extremely satisfactory. Dr. Bell said, and
! the kite flew steadily at the end OF 1908
/ feet of manila rope, with "a 11)-pound
pull
/ In Nova Scotia DIR. Bell and his assist
/ ants will build a great kite on the new
principle, and make practice flights ON
the lake surface. Repeated experiments
will be made in attaching the motor TO
/ the kite. The method Of starting the
/ fight will be to place the kite on a raf;
and pull il out of the water and into the
air by motor boat and tow lire. BY
/ practicing over the lake surface with a
man in the kite, any accident that may
! happen. and DR.. Bell says that mshaps
will surely occur during the experiments.
( will not prove disastrous to man or kite
/ In speaking of accidents. DR.. Bell said
last night that the fatalities connected
with aerial experiments have been the
! IN. -I-.-.-