Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-12

-! -
backed by scientists and great effort is being made to
lift this country into of excellence in mill
tary aviation.
The Smithsonian Institution in Washington, created
for the dissemination of learning and the advancement
of science proposes to build aerodynamc laboratory
for experimentation air craft for land and
1t has already created advisory council of civilian
experts and military to make suggestions and draw
plans for the regeneration of the old plant left at the
Smithsonian by Professor Samuel P. Langley. 1t was
there that Langley, deyng the derson of the public
and the press showed his faith his theories until
May 6, 1896, he actually made the first real flight in
heavier than-air machine.
Now, seventeen years later, the public that jeered
him is appaudng the determination of the institution
he served to make of the implements he left behind
The regents of the Smithsonian hope to make this abo
ratory sufficient for the government to do all the work
for aviation that is performed by European powers At
a conservative estimate it will cost at least three hun
bred thousand dollars rehabate the Langley plant
and to add to it all those implements needed to
study and promote efficient aviation One of the most
expensive things in connection with would be tun
mel for testing the eavierthan-air machines Such
tunnels used by some of the European powers
in their government experiments. The model of pro-
posed aeroplane is suspended in the middle of the tn
nel and currents of air travelling with the velocity at
which the aeropane would travel if it really working
are pumped against the model. In this manner the
would act if up in the air. Such tunnel costs
lot of money; but it is absolutely necessary in the
process of thorough experimentation with aviation.
According to all experts, fully equipped laboratory
is absolute necessity. Private enterprise will not
experiment thoroughly satisfactorily salaried
government employees. Civilian manufacturers will
turn machines ordered by the army navy; but
they afford "new stuff" that may never find
market.
WHEN the Wrights gave the big impulse to air
travel the American public dreamed of something
similar to the automobile and its history 1t was
thought that in few years people would be sailing
through the clouds with comparative safety, and that
the automobile had been perfected rapidly the
thing would be done with the aeroplane. In the first
flush of enthusiasm private enterprise took hold of the
manufacture of aeroplanes big scale few society
and wealthy men bought the machines as toys
The prospects bright, and military authorities sat
back comfortably in their chairs and waited for the
public and the publc's enthusiasm to force the per-
lection of the wings of war.
No such thing happened. 1t soon became evident
that while lots of inventive geniuses and cranks had
fine ideas about how to improve and make the aero
planes safe the fatalities kept up. Private enterprise
and private capital became discouraged Prospective
sailors of the air decided to stick to the automobile and
the sreetcar. The earth looked pretty good to them
after they had read their morning papers and scanned
the lists of experts and army officers killed by pockets
in the air." failures of the engine, and other
The general impression among manufacturers
and military authorities is that the aeropane is
to stay for only purpose Since the United