SMITHSONIAN CONTRIBUTIONS TO KNOWLEDGE VOL. '- i 



horse-power gasoline engine, are on exhibition at the V . X. National Museum. 



launching car and a small amount of materials have also been stored away. 

 The large house-boat, the construction and maintenance of which proved such 

 a serious drain on the finances, and the preservation of which would have en- 

 tailed the continuance of heavy fixed charges, has been turned over to the War 

 Department and sold, as has also the power-launch and other paraphernalia 

 which it seemed useless to preserve. 



The writer is firmly convinced that the aerodrome is not only correct in 

 principle hut that it possesses no inherent faults or weaknesses, and that the 

 success which the work deserves has been frustrated by two most unfortunate 

 accidents in the launching of the machine. Other plans of launching, several 

 of which were studied out during the early stages of the work on the large 

 machine, would have avoided the accident which did occur, but, of course, might 

 have produced others possibly even more disastrous, but which could be deter- 

 mined only by actual trial. But even recognizing certain fundamental weak- 

 nesses of the launching mechanism as used, he believes that there is no inher- 

 ent reason why the machine should not have been successfully launched, and 

 that the accidents which proved so disastrous in the two experiments were not 

 such as should cause a lack of confidence in the final success of the aerodrome. 



It might be of interest to add that the writer is now preparing to resume 

 the work at the earliest opportunity, and that the machine will be used in prac- 

 tically the form in which it existed at the two previous experiments, though a 

 slighl change will be made permitting experiments over the land rather than 

 the water. 'Idie only thing that prevents an immediate resumption is the pres- 

 sure of private business matters. 



Before closing this record the writer wishes to acknowledge the very val- 

 uable assistance in the work rendered by Mr. Richard Rathbun, Assistant Sec- 

 retary of the Smithsonian Institution, through his moral support and interest 

 in it at all times, and especially during the trying days of the summer of 

 L903; by Captain I. N. Lewis, who, while "Recorder of the Board of Ordnance 

 and Fortification from L898 to L902, manifested keen interest in the work ami 

 gave it his moral support before the Board; by Professor John M. Manly, who 

 devoted the whole of the summer of 1903 to it; and by Professor W. <). Manly, 

 who devoted a large pari of the summer of 1903 to assistance in the prepara- 

 tion for the actual field trials of the aerodrome. 



Mention must also be made of the very loyal and valuable services ren 

 dered by Mr. \l. I.. Reed, the very efficient foreman of the work during the last 

 ten years of it< progress, to whom much credit is due for his perseverance and 

 skill in overcoming many of the difficulties which presented themselves, as well 

 as to Mr. G. I). McDonald, Mr. ('. II. Darcey, Mr. F. Hewitt, Mr. R. S. Newham 



