22 ANNUAL EEPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 1913. 



asked, What was the good of such an invention, answered, " What is the good 

 of a new-born child?" The child has grown and is rapidly becoming a giant 

 in power. There is no branch of human activity in which France and America 

 have more truly vied with each other than this one, from the memorable day 

 of the Montgolfidre, so quickly perfected by the French physicist Charles, to 

 our own time. 



Mr. Curtiss said in part : 



As I look at the Langley models here, it becomes more evident to me than 

 ever before — the merit of these machines and the great work which Mr. Langley 

 did. We now know, as a result of M. Eiffel's laboratory experiments, that 

 flying planes used by Prof. Langley had a great deal of efficiency, and it is also 

 generally known that the Langley machines, as he built them, had more in- 

 herent stability than the models which those of us who followed after Langley 

 nsed in our first flights. I can not say too much in favor and in memory of 

 Prof. Langley. 



LANGLEY MEMORIAL TABLET. 



On May 6, 1913, the anniversary of the successful flight of the 

 Langley model aerodrome in 1896, the Langley memorial tablet to 

 commemorate the aeronautical work of the late Secretary Langley, 

 was unveiled in the Smithsonian building in the presence of men 

 prominent in the development of aviation and a large company of 

 invited guests. The tablet was described in my last report. On the 

 occasion of the unveiling of the tablet a memorial address was de- 

 livered by Dr. John A. Brashear, one of Prof. Langley's oldest and 

 most cherished friends, and his warm supporter during his long in- 

 vestigations connected with the subject of aerial flight. 



CONGRESSES AND CELEBRATIONS. 



The Institution each year receives invitations to numerous scien- 

 tific congresses and celebrations in the United States and abroad, but 

 as funds are not available for the expenses of delegates, few of these 

 invitations can be accepted. In some instances* however, it is pos- 

 sible to arrange for representation by collaborators of the Institution 

 who are visiting the localities, or by members of the scientific staff of 

 the Institution or its branches who are attending at their own expense. 



Zoological Congress. — Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, Dr. Ch. Wardell 

 Stiles, and Dr. Herbert Haviland Field were designated to represent 

 the Smithsonian Institution and National Museum ahd were also 

 designated by the Department of State as delegates on the part of the 

 United States at the Ninth International Congress of Zoology at 

 Monaco, March 25 to 30, 1913. 



Applied chemistry. — The opening meeting of the Eighth Inter- 

 national Congress of Applied Chemistry was held in Washington on 

 September 4, 1912, with subsequent meetings in New York. Prof. 

 F. W. Clarke was designated to attend the congress as the representa- 

 tive of the Institution. The congress made the Secretary of the Insti- 

 tution one of its honorary vice presidents. 



