THE HISTORY OF SCIENCE 



About three years after Langley's death the Board of 

 Regents of the Smithsonian Institution established the 

 Langley Medal for investigations in aerodromics in its 

 application to aviation. The first award went (1909) 

 to Wilbur and Orville Wright, the second (1913) 

 to Mr. Glenn H. Curtiss and M. Gustave Eiffel. On 

 the occasion of the presentation of the medals of the 

 second award May 6, 1913 the Langley Me- 

 morial Tablet, erected in the main vestibule of the 

 Smithsonian building, was unveiled by the scientist's 

 old friend, Dr. John A. Brashear. In the words of 

 the present Secretary of the Institution, the tablet 

 represents Mr. Langley seated on a terrace where 

 he has a clear view of the heavens, and, in a medita- 

 tive mood, is observing the flight of birds, while in 

 his mind he sees his aerodrome soaring above them. 



The lettering of the tablet is as follows : 



SAMUEL PIERPONT LANGLEY 

 1834-1906 



SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION 



1887-1906 



DISCOVERED THE RELATIONS OF SPEED 



AND ANGLE OF INCLINATION TO THE 



LIFTING POWER OF SURFACES WHEN 



MOVING IN AIR 



'*! have brought to a close the portion of the 

 work which seemed to be especially mine, the 

 demonstration of the practicability of mechan- 

 ical flight.'* 



" The great universal highway overhead is now 

 soon to be opened." Langley, 1897. 



