8 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 3] 



of the fact that the outstanding merit of Mr. Manly's invention and construc- 

 tion of the light, radial, gasoline airplane engine has become more and more 

 apparent in the last years. 



Mr. Hughes then quoted Mr. Charles L. Lawrance, president of 

 the Wright Aeronautical Corporation, in part, as follows : 



When we consider that the most popular type of airplane engine of to-day is 

 almost identical in its general detail and arrangement with the one evolved by 

 Charles Manly in 1902, we are lost in admiration for a man who, with no data 

 at his diisposal, no examples of similar art on which to roughly base his design, 

 and no workmen capable of making the more difficult parts of his engine, never- 

 theless, through the processes of a logical mind, tlie intelligent application of 

 the science of mathematics, and the use of his surprising mechanical skill, suc- 

 ceeded in constructing an engine developing 52.4 horsepower for a weight of 

 125 pounds, or a weight of 2.4 pounds per horsepower, which stood up under 

 severe tests, once even going through a full-power, nonstop run of 10 hours. 



Mr. Manly accepted the medal on behalf of his father, and con- 

 cluded with the words, " I am sure that if he were living there is 

 no honor which he would so greatly treasure." 



The presentation of the medal to Admiral Byrd was made at the 

 Smithsonian on the morning of March 27, 1931, by Chancellor 

 Hughes. After reviewing the purpose of the founding of the Lang- 

 ley medal, Mr. Hughes said : 



Your investigations in connection with the science of aviation have included 

 severe tests of airplanes, their navigating instruments, and the possibilities 

 of using them for geographical exploration. In these enterprises you have 

 made the nonstop west-east passage of the Atlantic, the first nonstop flight to 

 the North Pole, and the first nonstop flight to the South Pole. You have ex- 

 plored and photographed great regions of the globe hitherto unseen by man. 



It gives me great pleasure to present to you. Admiral Byrd, the Langley 

 Gold Medal for Aerodromics, in recognition of your outstanding investigations 

 relating to the application of the science of aerodromics to geographical 

 exploration. 



Admiral Byrd, in expressing his appreciation of the award, con- 

 cluded : 



All fliers have the deepest respect for the work of Professor Langley. My 

 own feeling of respect is so profound that this rare medal is doubly precious 

 to me in bearing his name. 



His work was epochal in the evolution of aviation, and may I remark here 

 that I believe all age-old things in a state of civilization must follow the great 

 law of evolution as do all things in a state of nature. * * * But here is 

 the big point — because space is pr;ictically unlimited the evolution of aviation 

 has fewer limits than ground-held things. 



SMITHSONIAN SCIENTIFIC SEKIES 



In 1926 the Institution reached an agreement with a New York 

 publishing firm for the issuance of a series of popular, illustrated 

 volumes dealing with the branches of science covered by the activi- 



