THE LANGLEY AERODROME 473 



was in readiness for the test. In the meantime the wind had arisen 

 and darkness was fast approaching, but as the funds for continuing the 

 work were exhausted, rendering it impossible to wait until spring for 

 more suitable weather for making a test, it was decided to go on with 

 it if possible This time there were on hand to witness the test the 

 writer, members of the Board of Ordnance, and a few other guests, 

 to say nothing of the hundreds of spectators who were waiting on the 

 various wharves and shores. It w r as found impossible to moor the boat 

 without a delay which would mean that no test could be made on 

 account of darkness, so that it was held as well as possible by a tug, 

 and kept with the aerodrome pointing directly into the wind, though 

 the tide, which was running very strong, and the wind, which was 

 blowing ten miles an hour, were together causing much difficulty. 

 The engine being started and working most satisfactorily, the order 

 was given by the engineer to release the machine, but just as it was 

 leaving the track another disaster, again due to the launching ways, 

 occurred. 4 This time the rear of the machine, in some way still unex- 

 plained, was caught by a portion of the launching car, which caused 

 the rear sustaining surfaces to break, leaving the rear entirely without 

 support, and it came down almost vertically into the water. Darkness 

 had come before the engineer, who had been in extreme danger, could 

 aid in the recovery of the aerodrome, the boat and machine had drifted 

 apart, and one of the tugs, in its zeal to render assistance, had fast- 

 ened a rope to the frame of the machine in the reverse position from 

 what it should have been attached and had broken the frame entirely 

 in two. While the injury which had thus been caused seemed almost 

 irreparable to one not acquainted with the work, yet it was found upon 

 close examination that only a small amount of labor would be necessary 

 in order to repair the frame, the engine itself being entirely uninjured. 

 Had this accident occurred at an earlier period, when there were funds 

 available for continuing the experiments, it would not have been so 

 serious, for many accidents in shop tests had occurred which, while 

 unknown to the general public, had yet caused greater damage and 

 required more time for repair than in the present case. But the 

 funds for continuing the work were exhausted, and it being found 

 impossible to immediately secure others for continuing it, it was found 

 necessary to discontinue the experiments for the present, though I 

 decided to use, from a private fund, the small amount of money 



4 Major Macomb again states in his official report to the board: "The 

 launching car was released at 4:45 p.m. . . . The car was set in motion and 

 the propellers revolved rapidly, the engine working perfectly, but there was 

 something wrong with the launching. The rear guy post seemed to drag, 

 bringing the rudder down on the launching ways, and a crashing, rending 

 sound, followed by the collapse of the rear wings, showed that the machine had 

 been wrecked in the launching; just how it was impossible to see." 



