50 AERONAUTICS IN RELATION TO NAVAL ARCHITECTURE. 
It may seem queer that metal floats have not come into general use. There are 
several reasons for this, however, the principal reason probably being that the form 
of floats is as yet nowhere near standardized, so that metal construction for special 
cases would prove excessively costly. But another reason is that when the attempt 
is made to build floats of the dimensions required on weights which compare favor- 
ably with wooden construction, it is found that the metal itself is so thin that it lacks 
the required stiffness to preserve its form under service conditions; further, that 
this thickness provides too little margin for the effects of corrosion, particularly in 
salt water ; and, in particular, the bottom itself would require an elaborate system of 
support in order to prevent it bending badly under the heavy pressures encountered 
in service. However, as the number of aeroplanes in service becomes greater and 
the form of floats becomes to a certain extent standardized and larger, it is probable 
that metal construction can be satisfactorily solved. 
DISCUSSION. 
THE PRESIDENT :—Gentlemen, you have heard the paper which has just been presented, 
entitled, “Aeronautics in Relation to Naval Architecture.” Does any gentleman wish to dis- 
cuss this paper? 
Mr. E_mer A. Sperry, Member :—This paper is certainly a contribution to our records 
of great value, and I think the Society is very fortunate in having it. The question treated 
by Mr. Richardson is of much practical importance. By the way, Mr. Richardson has gone 
into it more deeply, probably, than any one else on this side of the Atlantic, and possibly in 
the world. He has been given excellent facilities in the use of the experimental tank at 
Washington, and the problem itself is fraught with a great deal more difficulty than is at 
all apparent on the surface. 
When the America was finished and ready to be tried out at Hammondsport two years 
ago, as you will remember, the very greatest difficulty was experienced in getting the 
machine to break away from the water. The machine would fly all right, fly with only one 
of its engines very easily, but when it tried to separate itself from the water it was noted 
that great sheets, about three-eighths of an inch thick, and something like 18 inches in 
height, as I remember, were climbing up the sides and actually physically dragging the ship- 
shaped body of the float back into the water. 
After a great many changes were made in the machine I went from Hammondsport to 
Washington and visited Admiral Taylor at his house in the evening and talked the matter 
over with him, and Mr. Richardson was dispatched to Hammondsport to direct experiments 
following such suggestions as were settled upon by the naval constructors. 
It was found, after a number of changes, that the bottom, brought out very thin on 
the two sides, and flaring beyond the sides of the boat, could be made to break away, 7. e., to 
separate the boat from the water and allow it to rise. 
The result of Mr. Richardson’s tests has shown that the rectangular floats are best and 
