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SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO KNOWLEDGE 



VOL. 



possibilities of a flying machine as an engine of war. When lie found thai Mr. 

 Langley was willing to devote his own time to the development of a machine, 

 provided the Government would furnish the funds for the actual construction 

 and tests of it, he appointed a joint board, consisting of Army and Navy offi- 

 cers, to investigate and report on the plans with which Mr. Langley had achieved 

 success with the models. The report of this joint board of Army and Navy 

 officers being favorable, the Board of Ordnance and Fortification of the War 

 Department, at the direction of President McKinley, requested Mr. Langley to 

 undertake the construction and test of a machine, which, while not expected to 

 be a practical war machine, might finally lead to the development of such an en- 

 gine of war. In this connection it is interesting to read a letter which Mr. Lang- 

 ley addressed to the Board of Ordnance and Fortification at the time he un- 

 dertook this work. 



Smithsonian Institution, December 12, 1898. 



The Hoard of Ordnance and Fortification, War Department. 



Gentlemen: In response to your invitation, I repeat what I had the honor 

 to say to the Board — that I am willing, with the consent of the Regents of this 

 Institution, to undertake for the Government the further investigation of the 

 subject of the construction of a flying machine on a scale capable of carrying a 

 man, the investigation to include the construction, development and test of such 

 a machine under conditions left as far as practicable in my discretion, it being 

 understood that my services are given to the Government in such time as may 

 not be occupied by the business of the Institution, and without charge. 



I have reason to believe that the cost of the construction will come within 

 the sum of $50,000.00, and that not more than one-half of that will be called for 

 in the coming year. 



I entirely agree with what I understand to be the wisli of the Board that 

 privacy be observed with regard to the work, and only when it reaches a suc- 

 cessful completion shall I wish to make public the fact of its success. 



I attach to this a memorandum of my understanding of some points of de- 

 tail in order to be sure that it is also the understanding of the Board, and I am, 

 gentlemen, 



With much respect, 



Your obedient servant, 



S. P. Langley. 



Memorandum 

 attached to my letter of this date to the board of ordnance and fortification 



While stating that I have, so far as I know, an exclusive right of property 

 in the results of the experiments in aerodromics which I have conducted here- 

 tofore and am now conducting, and while understanding that this property and 

 all rights connected with it, whether patentable or otherwise, will remain mine 

 unqualifiedly, 1 am glad to place these results, without charge, at the service of 

 the Board of Ordnance and Fortification for the special construction at present 

 proposed, which seems to me to be of National utility. 



