Evening star., 1915-02-19
FAVORS GIVING AID
.TOAERO SCIENCE
House Committee Votes for an
Advisory Body on Aero
nautics.
PROGRESS OF AMERICA
IN THE ART DESCRIBED
Dr.. c. D. Walcott, Secretary Of the
Smithsonian Institution, Cites
Lowly Position of q. S.

Legislation of great importance to
the art and science of aeronautics was
favorably reported on today by the
House committee on naval affairs.
when favorable vote was cast on the
Roberts resolution to authorize the ap-
pointment of an advisory committee on
aeronautics.
The resolution was ordered reported
after DR.. Charles D. Walcott, secretary
Of the Smithsonian Institution, ap-
peared before the committee and gave
an interesting talk on American aero
nautics and the tail-end position the
country occupies in a science which
was born here.
The advisory committee would be ap-
pointed by the President. who would
select men from the army and navy
the Smithsonian Institution. the bureau
where skilled men could be found. The
resolution has the approval OF the
Navy Department, and letter on the
subject has been sent to the committee
by Assistant Secretary Roosevelt OF
the Navy Department
U. s. Trailing in Aero Science.
Secretary walcott reminded the COM
mittee that the first flying had been
done by an American machine. that OF
Prof. S. P. Langley. whose old biplane
was successfully flown only a few
months ago at Lake Keoka, n. Y, bu!
that since that time European nations
have gone ahead in aero science and
had left the United States far behind
He detailed the number OF war ma
chimes in Europe and the amount OF
! money subscribed by private individ-
| uals abroad for the advancement OF
the science of aeronautics. the figures
making the United States tiny In com.
parfson.
He said the United: States owns a i'm.
experimentation plant for aeronautic.
| at the Washington navy yard, and tina
the bureau OF standards is perhaps tht
| best place in the world to carry on ex.
periments in motors for flying craft.
Another problem to be attacked. h
said. is the mapping out of the uppel
air currents. The Germans have dom
this to a considerable extent, and thu
Smithsonian Institution has done SO t
| a limited degree on the Pacific coast.
Dirigibles Not Successful.
In answer to questions by member
| of the committee Secretary Walcot
said the dirigible type Of balloons. 81
extensively exploited in news Of th'
present war, had not proved a success
This was due, he said. to the fact tha
| they cannot weather gales and ar
| likely to be lost in bad weathers. Will
his information from English aviator
| is that heavier -than-air machines ar
now flying in all weathers. He spok'
! of stabilizing devices that would maxi
aircraft control more nearly auto
matte than at present and reduce tn.
dangers Of upsetting in air pockets:
Representative Roberts brought ou
| the fact that America was responsible
for the original idea of the heavier
| than-air machine In the Langley fiier.
"If the aeroplane develops in tht
next ten years as it has done in the
past decade" said Secretary Walcott
"they will be used for mail carryint
where there are no railroads. wher'
there are no bridges. where mountain
ranges are to be crossed. They viii
cut expense Of reconnaissance and Ger
tain kinds of travelling tremendousl!
and will open wide areas for rapit
communication. I believe we will hav'
cheap fiers just as now we have cheal
automobiles"