I 



PREFATORY NOTE 



This statement represents an attempt on the part of the 

 Smithsonian Institution to clarify an unfortunate con- 

 troversy, and to correct errors where errors have been 

 made, in order to do justice alike to three great pioneers 

 of human flight — Wilbur and Orville Wright, and Samuel 

 Pierpont Langley — as well as to the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution. 



