Samuel Pierpont Langley. 323 



he had no control, and the great work that has been done there 

 will undoubtedly prove an important preliminary experience, 

 leading to the eventual establishment, in a favorable location, 

 and under a competent physicist, of an astro- physical observa- 

 tory that shall be worthy the name of the founder. 



But a very different problem had also fascinated oar colleague, 

 namely the soaring flight of the condor, the buzzard, 

 and the sea-gull. While at the Allegheny Observatory he had 

 gathered a collection of aeroplanes and of well mounted birds' 

 wings, had placed them on his whirling machine, and had 

 endeavored to penetrate the secrets of flight. After his settle- 

 ment at Washington a larger machine and more elaborate 

 experiments were made, in which he was assisted by Mr. 

 George E. Curtis, who had become familiar with the subject 

 through his studies with me of problems treated in my "Meteor- 

 ological Apparatus and Methods."' Professor Langley's 

 work, entitled " Aerodromics" and his incisive article, "The 

 Internal Energy of the Wind," were but the beginning of the 

 new series of studies that occupied his attention up to the 

 beginning of his last illness. A large appropriation was made 

 by Congress for researches and experiments in artificial flight. 

 The best of physicists and mechanics were employed to perfect 

 the powerful little motor. A detailed report on the results 

 has not yet been published, but it is very important that it 

 should be prepared, both in order to save others from the 

 wasteful labor of going over the same ground again, and also 

 in order to secure for America the credit for the great work 

 that was accomplished by him. He was one of the pioneers 

 in this class of work, and like all pioneers prepared the way 

 for the success that we hope ultimately to obtain. A few years 

 ago we spoke of the conquest of space by the railroad, and of time 

 by electricity, or the conquest of the ocean by the steamship, 

 without having the least idea that within the next decade wire- 

 less telegraphy and the steam turbine would give us a still more 

 complete conquest. It is so also with the air ; we now have 

 the balloon, the aeroplane and the kite, but eventually we 

 shall have the flying machine in some practical form. 



As administrative officer in charge of the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution, Langley defended the principle that the secretary should 

 not sacrifice his scientific work to routine office work, but by 

 continuing it should confer the greater honor on the institution. 



Personally Professor Langley was of the gentlest and kindest 

 nature. Nothing but the conviction of duty ever drew a harsh 

 word from him. He could be silent and suffer, but not quarrel. 

 His tender care for his mother and his kindly sympatby for the 

 children of his friends (he had none of his own) will ever endear 

 him to the memory of those who knew him' best. 



Cleveland Abbe. 



