NO. 3 LANGLEY MEMOIK ON MECHANICAL FLU 219 



out an indefinite amount of experiment, it was decided thai all hope of making 

 this engine an immediate success would have to be abandoned. 



Interest in the development of the automobile was increasing at a rapid 

 rate all over the world, and while the builders in this country had qoI reached 

 the stage of development which had been attained in Europe, especially in 

 France, yet some American builders had succeeded in constructing cars pin 

 pelted by gasoline engines which could lie depended upon to run at leasl a short 

 distance, and it was, therefore, toped that some one of the more competent of 

 these builders might he found who would undertake to construct a suitable en- 

 gine. After making a most extensive hut fruitless search for such a builder in 

 this country, it was decided that it would be best to see what could he done in 

 Europe, and as other administrative matters made it necessary for Mr. Lang- 

 ley to go to Europe about the middle of June, the writer accompanied him to 

 see what could be done towards having a suitable engine buill there. Some six 

 weeks were spent in visiting all the important builders of gasoline engines in 

 Europe, and the results were very discouraging. Everywhere the builders said 

 that they did not care to undertake the work, and that they did not consider 

 it possible to construct an engine of 12 horse-power weighing less than 100 to 

 150 kilograms (220 to 3.30 lbs.), or that, if they had thought it possible, they 

 would already have built it, as they had. bad numerous inquiries for such en- 

 gines, and also wanted them for their own use. The last hope of securing a 

 suitable gasoline engine seemed to have vanished. 



But, discouraging as was the refusal of the engine builders of Europe to 

 undertake to build the engine, and still more so their opinion that such an en 

 gine was an impossibility, inspection of the engines exhibited at the Paris Ex- 

 position had so strengthened the writer's conviction of the possibility of the 

 undertaking that, before parting with Mr. Langley on August 3 to return to 

 America, be personally assumed the responsibility of building an engine which 

 would meet the requirements. 



Upon returning from Europe on August 13, and finding that the engine 

 builder in New York had made no progress whatever towards improving the 

 engine during bis absence, the writer condemned both the large engine and the 

 small one. The engine builder had practical^ bankrupted himself in Ins at- 

 tempts to construd these two engines, having spent something like sfSOOO or 

 $10,000 in actual wages over and above the contract prices for the engines, to 

 sax nothing of remuneration for his own time or such expenses as shop rent 

 and power. As all of the money for the large machine and practically all for 

 the small one had been advanced to him at various times to assisl him over 

 financial stringencies-such advances, however, having been secured by suit- 

 able bonds-it was decided to take the various parts of the two engines in 



