Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-20
NO CASH FOR A|RSH|PS
Smithsonian Cannot Assist in
Patented Devices.
HODGKINS FUND PURPOSES
Available for Study Of Air for Diff.
fusion Of knowledge.
LANGLEY HAD APPROPRIATION
Wide Scope to Which Income Can
Be Applied for Benefit Of
Mankind.
H0DGKINS FUND PURPOSES
LANGLEY HAD APPROPRIATION

given to stories recently published in
some New York papers to the effect that
the Smithsonian Institution has at COM
mand a large income from the. Hodgkins
fund for the aid OF aeronautics, and that
this fact has been concealed from Ameri-
can experimenters and thousands Of dol
lars sent abroad for purely theoretical
investigation while worthy inventors At
home are starving, so to speak, for lack
of funds.
Oficials Of the Smithsonian Institution
declare this statement is untrue and con-
slider it uncalled for. The income from
the Hodgkins fund. it is averred by these
oficials, is available for original re-
search. and some part Of it has been
applied at times to hep aeronautics.
Prof. Langley drew slightly on this fund
during his experiments.
One OF the essential features OF the be-
quest. 1t is indicated, is that 1t shall not
be used to help in the development Of
any patented article, but is available
the interest of mankind.
Purpose Of Fund.
The only point where the aid Of aero
nautics can be read into the bequest 10 in
the statement that the interest from $780,
600 shall be used in acquiring more ex-
act knowledge Of atmospheric air in con-
nection with the welfare OF man. Under
this head money could be appropriated for
investigation into aerial fight. though pre-
liminary work. such as the fund was In
tended to aid, has already, been done by
Prof. Langley. Sir Hiram Maxim and
similar investigators.
The air problem to be investigated is
made Intentionally OF the widest scope
or M nnlv nnaohQ nfcQl flight but
the constituents Of the air, acoustics and
ventilation, atmospheric electricity and
host Of other matters.
The fund was established by Thomas
George HodEkins OF Setauket n. Y, in
1891. He first gave 100000. which was
formally accepted at q specially called
meeting Of the board Of regents in the
same year.
from $1OO, 900 of his gift should be devoted
to the increase and diffusion of a more
exact knowledge in regard to the nature
and properties of atmospheric air In con-
nection with the welfare OF man. 1t was
not the intention of the donor that the
Investigation should be limited to special
Investigation in sanitary science. but that
the atmosphere should be considered In
its widest relationship to all branches OF
research.
The income of the remaining 100000
was to be devoted to the general purposes
Of the institution.
Additional gifts were subsequently made
by Mr.. Hodgkins In closing up his as
tate, he made the Smithsonian the resid-
uary legatee. The general FUND was
thus Increased by an amount not Yet
definitely known.
Big Prizes offered.
In consulting with the secretary and
assistant secretary In relation to his gift.
Mr. Hodgkins referred to the experiments
H., 80 o1A VI
an Investigation germane to the purposes
Of the fund and mentioned also the prize
awarded to Paul Bert by the French
Academy Of Sciences for his discovery Of
the influence Of oxygen on the phenomena
Of vitality.
He said he thought it advisable that
the institution should offer some con-
siderable prize which. by its magnitude.
would call attention to the subject in
which he was so much interested. In con-
formity with the wishes of the donor,
the Hopkins prize of $4,000 was es-
tablished in 1893 and smaller prizes of'
Sc 900 and 81 600 and gold and silver med
ais were afterward offered for the best
papers in regard to the nature and prop
critics Of atmospheric air and for the APP
plication of existing knowledge for the
benefit of mankind.
Circulars setting forth the conditions OF
the competition were printed in French,
German and English, and were distributed
among the scientific societies Of the world.
There were many responses close on the
nrst announcement of the prize.
The competition was finally closed De-
cember 81. 1894, up to which time %
monograms. eligible for the competition
under the conditions advertised, had been
received. The competitors represented
nearly all civilized nations.
The committee of award consisted Of
Dr. 8. p. Langley. secretary OF the smith
sonian Institution: DIR. G. Brown Goode
assistant secretary; Asst. Surgeon General
]. 8. Billings, and Prof. William Har-
rington, chief Of the weather bureau. This
committee vas supplemented by foreign
advisory committee OF equally we'll known
scientists representing England, Germany
and France.
Recipients Of Prizes.
The first prize was awarded to Lord
Rayleigh and Prof. William Ramsay OF
University College, London. for the dis
covery of argon. new constituent OF the
atmosphere. The second prize Of $1,000
was not awarded, no competitor having
exactly complied with the conditions. The