REPORT OF THE SECRETARY 9 



seconds. Inasmuch as the rockets started slowly, the first few hundred feet of 

 the flight reminded one of a fish swimming in a vertical direction. * * * 



The continually increasing speed of the rockets, with the accompanying steady 

 roar, make the flights very impressive. In the two flights the rocket left a 

 smoke trail and had a snuUl, intens(^ly white flame issuing from the nozzle, 

 which at times nearly disappeared with no decrease in roar or propelling force. 

 The occasional white flashes below the rocket are explosions of gasoline vapor 

 in the air. 



In the flight of October 14, 193.'"), the rocket rose 4,000 feet; in the flight of 

 May 31, 1935, it rose 7,500 feet. * * * 



As in the flights of 1930-32 to study rocket performance in the air, no attempt 

 was made in the flights of 1934-35 to reduce the weight of the rockets, which 

 varied from 5S to 85 pounds. A reduction of weight would be useless before a 

 vertical course of the rocket could be maintained automatically. The speed of 

 700 miles per hour, although high, was not as much as could be obtained by a 

 light rocket, and the heights also were mvich less than could be obtained by a 

 light rocket of the same power. 



It is worth mentioning that inasmuch as the delicate directional apparatus 

 functioned while the rockets were in flight, it should be possible to carry record- 

 ing instruments on the rocket without damage or changes in adjustment. 



The next step in the development of the liquid-propellant rocket is the reduc- 

 tion of weight to a minimum. Some progress along this line has already been 

 made. * * * 



The chief accomplishments to date are the development of a combustion cham- 

 ber, or rocket motor, that is extremely light and powerful and can be used 

 repeatedly, and of a means of stabilization that operates automatically while 

 the rocket is in flight. 



WALTER RATHBONE BACON TRAVELING SCHOLARSHIP 



DB. MOZLEY'S MOLLUSK INVESTIGATIONS 



The Walter Rathbone Bacon Traveling Scholarship of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution granted to Dr. Alan Mozley for 1932 and 1933 for 

 field studies of land and fresh-water mollusks in northern Asia, in 

 order to correlate these with similar researches which he had made in 

 the far north of North America, was extended for an additional sea- 

 son to permit the gathering of further data. This is the first report 

 it has been possible to present on Dr. Mozley's later work. 



Dr. Mozley intended to make a trip down the Lena River and to 

 explore this stream and adjacent territory before attempting a final 

 report, but for certain reasons it was not practicable for him to obtain 

 the necessary permission for work in this territory. He therefore, 

 with the sanction of the authorities of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 shifted his field of exploration to Finland and northern Sweden, using 

 Alvsky, Kabdalis, Ostersimd, Stromsund, Sveg, Orsa, Mora, Alvdalen, 

 and Stockholm as bases for his quest. 



At the close of the collecting season Dr. Mozley revisited England, 

 where he continued museum studies of his catches, after which he 



