26 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 8l 



tution is in itself definite recognition of the status of the 

 Wrights as discoverers of new truths. 



The Smithsonian Institution has borne charges in which 

 have occurred the words " hostile," " insidious," " false 

 propaganda," in consequence of the events I have described. 

 In order to show that the Institution's officers have not been 

 insincere I quote the following passage from a letter which 

 I sent to the Editor of the Journal of the Royal Aero- 

 nautical Society, April 27, 1928: 



1. Langley himself said after the two unsuccessful launchings 

 in 1903: " Failure in the aerodrome itself or its engines there has 

 been none ; and it is believed that it is at the moment of success, 

 and when the engineering problems have been solved, that a lack 

 of means has prevented a continuance of the work." He died in 

 the same belief. 



2. Manly twice risked his life in this faith, and eagerly wished to 

 risk it thus again. From conversation I had with him in 1925, I 

 am certain that he also died in the same belief. 



3. Chanute on several occasions stated that " he had no doubt " 

 that Langley's machine " would have flown if it had been well 

 launched into the air." 



Such, then, in brief review are statements that have been 

 made. In concluding this account, I express, on behalf of 

 the Smithsonian Institution, regret : 



1. That any loose or inaccurate statements should 

 have been promulgated by it which might be interpreted 

 to Mr, Wright's disadvantage. 



2. That it should have contributed by the quotation on 

 page 23 of the Smithsonian Annual Report of iQio to 

 the impression that the success of the Wright brothers 

 was due to anything but their own research, genius, 

 sacrifice, and perseverance. 



3. That the experiments of 19 14 should have been con- 

 ducted and described in a way to give offense to Mr. 

 Orville Wright and his friends. 



I renew to Mr. Wright on behalf of the Smithsonian In- 

 stitution, my invitation of March 4, 1928, to deposit for 



