Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-10

saw Wright make his ascensions were
Secretary Straus Of the Department of
Commerce and Labor, Secretary Wright
| of the War Department, Secretary Met
! calf of the Navy Department. Assistant
Secretary Oliver of the War Department,
Lieut.. Gen. Nelson A. Miles, retired;
| Brig. Gen. William Crozier, chief of ord
nance of the army: Brig Gen. Arthur
Murray, chief of artillery; Brig. Gen.
Marshall. chief Of engineers: Brig; Gen n
the War College; Col. Charles S. Brom-
we'll superintendent of public buildings;
Charles D. Walcott, secretary OF the
| Smithsonian Institution; Lieut.. Command
| er Cleland David, in charge of the wire
less telegraph branch of the bureau of
equipment of the navy; Lieut.. q. e.
| Sweet, who yesterday was detailed to VII
! ness the experiments In aerial navigation
| at Fort Myer by the Navy Department.
| chemistry of the Agricultural Depart
ment; Edward B. RoZa, chief of the bu-
reau of standards. and Maj. Fourier OF
| the French artillery and military at
| tache of the French embassy at WASH
| ington.
| ..Wonderful. remarkable, extraordl-
| naryr' were the words used by the oHl-
GERS present when they were asked what
they thought of the flights.
| Secretary Wright watched the move
| ments of the machine with the closest
attention and manifested the greatest IN
terest in everything that was going ON.
| Speaking of the work OF his namesaKe'
| the aviator and his aerOplane, the Sec
rotary of War declared that 1t was
most wonderful machine, and added:
| perhaps 1t may be valuable for scout
purposes and probably for many otheHs!
| suppose this is the beginning or the
| steady development or TINS means oi hasA-
| cation"
| movements of the aviator was second 10
none of those on the field: declared that
| the exhibition was remarkable.
| He appears to have the machine under
| perfect control" said Secretary Metcaif
| ''This appears to be remarkable feature
of the tests. / should like to view the
| aeroplane in gale OF WIND 10 see no" II
| would act
| Perhaps the most enthusiastic man on
the field was Secretary Stratus. AS soon
| as Wright landed his machine he hurried
| to him and extended his congratulations
at the same time plying him with many
questions as to his experiences and feel
ing while soaring in the air.
! Wright in reply to the Secretary's ques-
| tons told him he was not at all nervous
but that his work was practically easy,
and that after the machine had once
| fairly got started the matter of it's contin-
uance in flight was simple. He did not
strain after the machine once got in the
air. The principal work was to get the
aeroplane fairly moving on its aerial voy-
| age.
Army May Experiment.
Gen. Murray. chief of artillery of the
| army is of opinion that fight in air is
solved. THE utility of the machine is to
be worked OUT. he added.
| Gen. Murray believed the aeroplane
could be successfully used for scout work
by the army and might be valuable for
purposes of warfare under certain condi-
tons.
1t was suggested to Gen. Murray that
an experiment be made as to the feast
bility of launching a she'll from an aero
plane. The method suggested was to have
Wright soar over an outline of battle
ship, which could be reproduced on the
drill grounds, and while above it to drop
a sand bag.
That would be worth trying" said the
general when the Signal Corps gets
the machine we will probably Undertake
some experiments Of that sort with its
! cooperation"
Gen. Allen and the officers of the Signal
Corps were given much praise for their
efforts to have the Unites States Army
adopt air ships and flying machines. The
Secretary of the Navy has recognized
their value by detailing an officer to
officially observe the Fort Myer tests. and
the Marine Corps has had Lieut.. Creecy
on the spot throughout all the fights of
Capt. Baldwin and Orvi;le Wright.
AS Maj. Fourier the French military
aeroplane. he declared with much enthu-
siasm. Marvellous! / have great admira-
ton for the work of Mr.. Wright
The captain remarked that study and
developments in the line OF aerial navi-
cation were being developed along similar
lines in France and the United States.
Yesterdays time and distance will be
accepted as official by the Aero Club of
America. as Augustus Post. its secretary
already has approved them.
/ The Wright brothers best previous
time was 3S minutes and 36 seconds made
in flight at Dayton in October, 1905.
This flight was made by Wilbur Wright.
Orvile Wright. on the day previous,
made a fight lasting 3s minutes
Flights of ten. twelve. sixteen and
twenty-one miles were made at the same
time.
/ Danger From Gunfire.
In connection with the immunity of fly
ing machines from gunfire, Wright had an
interesting practical talk with Capt. Van
Horn at Fort Myer yesterday. Capt. Van
Horn was just going out with his battery.
Seeing a part of the flight. he said that
an aeroplane at a comparatively low ele-
walton would offer possible target for
a battery. There were difficulties enough
in the way to make hitting it an interest
ing problem.
/ AS field guns are now constructed. he
) said. 800 feet is the limit of elevation that
could be reached by fire from a level. OF
course. this elevation might be increased
by setting the battery ON hillside or
: digging pit into which to drop the trail
of the gun.
With a whole battery firing shrapnel it
might be possible to get the range and
damage a machine if it circled in the i'm
mediate vicinity. But with an aeroplane
at any elevation and making speed in a
straight line it would be most difficult
sort of wing shooting with any gun now
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