166 ANNUM, REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1918. 



ness was setting in and the wind had become strong and gusty. 

 Nevertheless, Manly took his station at the wheel, and the machine 

 was launched, but something happened that has never been clearly 

 determined. The machine shot upward and then fell into the water, 

 entangling the pilot, who again narrowly escaped drowning. Owing 

 to the darkness the official photographer got no pictures, as his 

 shutters were set to too high speed, but a representative of the 

 Washington Star secured a small photograph, which on enlargement 

 showed some points of importance, principally that the accident 

 was due to the rudder becoming entangled in the launching track, 

 owing to the breakage of some part of the mechanism by which it 

 was connected to the main frame. 



The situation became very distressing. The inventor felt that he 

 could not ask for further funds from the Smithsonian Institution, 

 and the Board of Ordnance and Fortification having been severely 

 criticized on the floor of Congress for its original allotment for the 

 work, it was deemed inexpedient to ask for further aid, as it might 

 incur a curtailment of the funds placed at the disposal of the board. 



In 1904 Manly made efforts to secure assistance from wealthy 

 Americans, but all whom he approached declined to aid unless ar- 

 rangements would be made for later commercialization. Langley 

 had years before tempting offers of this character, but had always 

 declined and he again declined to accept these conditions. In 1906 

 he died. Had he been spared a few years he would have seen all 

 his hopes realized as the sequel shows. 



THE SEQUEL. 1 



Ma} 7 G is celebrated in Washington, informally, as Langley Day, 

 being the anniversary of the first satisfactory flight of a heavier- 

 than-air machine. In March, 1914, Glenn H. Curtiss, aviator and 

 inventor, was invited to take part in the ceremonies on the next 

 occasion. He replied : " I would like to put the Langley aerodome 

 itself in the air." Secretary Walcott, of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 at once granted the request, and in April the machine was taken to 

 the Curtiss plant on Lake Keuka, Hammondsport, N. Y. It was over- 

 hauled but not materially changed, except to put hydroplane floats 

 on it. On May 28, 1914, two months before the great war broke 

 out, and 18 years after the successful flight of the first aerodrome, 

 the craft of 1903 was lifted into the water with Curtiss at the wheel, 

 and many eager camera men waiting with loaded weapons. Pointed 

 somewhat across the wind, the machine automatically headed into it. 

 rose in level poise, soared steadily for 150 feet and landed softly in 

 the water. After a few more flights, the engine and propellers were 



1 For most of the data of this paragraph I am indebted to an article by Dr. A. F. Zahm, 

 in Ann. Rep. Smithson. Inst, for 1914. 



