The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-05-18

Washington, May 1s.-After an in
terval Of seventeen years, scientific
America has paid e belated tribute to
the memory of the late Samuel Pier
pont Langley, the first man in the
world to fly in an aeropiane.
This tribute comes in the form of a
bronze tablet, four and half feet high
by two and a half feet wide, which
has just been erected in the Srnithson-
ian institution. At the dedicatory cere-
from all over the country were present
to pay honor to the memory Of the
father Of aviation"
Away back in 1885 Professor Lang
ley started to experiment on the prin-
ciple of mechanical flight, saying after
ward that he had no idea at the time
of building q flying machine. In fact,
a flying machine then was a synonym
for the impossible. There was no lit
erature on the subject, and eminent
by the use Of existing formulae that
artificial flight was impossible. Prof.
Langley proved enough in his earlier
experiments to convince him that me-
chantcal flight was possible, but he said
in writing of the experiments that he
could not learn more of the principles
of flight till he built a machine that
would fly, and it seemed that he could
not build a machine that would fly
until he knew more of the prin ciples
Of flight" Therefore" he wrote, st
seemed shut up in a vicious circle from
which there was no escape"
He did finally escape, for, after years
Of experiment, he built a steam driven
machine with a remarkable engine,
also built by himself, that developed a
horsepower and three-quarters and
weighed complete but seven pounds.
This flew on the 9Th OF May, 1896. He
then said that his work was finished
and he wished to retire from the field.
Prof. Langley was not allowed to
rest, however, for the war department
asked him if he could build a man-car-
rying machine to be used as an insru-
ment of war. He replied that probably
he could, and there was voted by con-
gress $4,000 to be expended at Prof
Langley's express wish under the board
of ordnance and Notifications. This
machine was built and completed in
1903. Two attempts were made to
launch 1T with Charles Manley as the
operator. On both occasions there was
a failure of the launching device and
the machine was wrecked before 1T got
into the air, proving neither its ability
nor its failure to fly, because 1t was
never given q chance for flight.
Should Have Been Success.
Nobody at the time knew anything
about flying machines, and the fact
that the big machine did not fly was
given wide publicity and construed into
the story that the machine had failed
to fly. Judged by modern standards,
there was no reason the machine
should not have flown, for ii was album
dainty light and powerful and had
more supporting surface per pound |
than the ordinary modern machine |
that does fly.
Prof. Langley was deeply hurt at the |
storm of public criticism launched at !
the machine. He abandoned the work |
entirely and died February 81 1906 |
He never actually saw a man carrying |
ma chine in flight. His own recogni- |
ton before his death was a set of res |
buttons from the Aero Club OF Amer |
lea, thanking him for his contributions |
to the science. These reached him on |
his deathbed.