The Lilienthal-Chanute Correspondence

Known Correspondence is from 1893 to 1895. There are known 12 letters: 8 by Octave Chanute (USA), 3 by Otto Lilienthal and one written by his brother Gustav Lilienthal. The letters of Chanute and Gustav Lilienthal are preserved in the Library of Congress, Washington. The letters of Otto Lilienthal are only known in form of the handwritten translations into English.

The railroad engeneer Chanute became the first authority in questions of human flight in the USA. In 1891 he started with a number of essays about "Aeronautics" in the "American Railroad and Engeneering Journal", summarized in 1894 in the book "Progress in Flying Machines".

Chanute to Lilienthal

January,12 1894

Mr. Otto Lilienthal
Köpenickerstr-113-Berlin-S.O

Dear Sir.
I have been writing a series of articles upon "Progress in Flying machines" and I sent you last summer the article in which I mentioned your own labors. Not knowing your address, I sent the Journals in care of Mr. W. H. Kühl, the bookseller, 73, Jäger St., but as they may not have reached you, I again send the July and the August Journals to an address which Prof. Hartmann (who represented the Verein Deutscher Jngeniere at Chicago) has been good enough to send me from Berlin (Wilhelmstr.8O a).
I only know, thus far, what you have accomplished with your soaring device up to November 1892, but, as you will see by my articles, I am aware that it is capable of doing much more, and to soar upward like a bird, as well as downward, to which your latter action... you confined yourself at first.
I should very much like to be kept advised of the progress of your experiments; and you will confer a favor upon me by sending me from time to time copies of what is published on the subject. I presume that you have been experimenting during the past summer, and I would be glad to know that you have succeeded in rising upon the wind, and in circling around as the birds do, and as Lante is said to have done over the city of Perruggia
I need hardly say that I will pleased to correspond with you, especially if you write English, as I do not read German.
I think that Prof Hartmann will tell you, if you care to enquire, that I am certain not to use imprudently any information with which you may favor me.

Yours respectfully
O. Chanute
413, E. Huron St.
Chicago, Illinois

Chanute to Lilienthal

March 12,1894

Dear Sir.
I want to thank you very much for your article which you sent me recently.
After some delay, I succeeded in finding an Engineer competent to translate it understandingly, and three days ago I received it in its English form.

I am very much pleased with the article, I congratulate you warmly upon your success, and I think that, if you meet with no accident, you will probably do more towards solving the problem of Aviation than any one else has yet accomplished, for you are working (as I think) exactly in the right line, that of securing equilibrium.

Not only am I much gratified that success should have been attained in this direction, but I am pleased with the clearness, the modesty and the candour with which you relate your experiences, and with the generous frankness with which you invite others to repeat your experiments. I now send the full translation of your article to the Journal "Aeronautics" published in New York, so that our own people may profit by your liberality. I send you a ser of the Journal.

You would confer a favor by sending me your portrait, to be also published in that Journal, with a short biography. I send you an old number of "Engineering News" containing my own.
I have lately procured a copy of your book. I hitherto only knew of it from French sources, and I now fear that they are not always reliable. I had translated your conclusions from the French, and Mr. Ciurtis of Washington, had translated your account of 1892 experiments from the "Luftschiffahrt" for my articles; now that I have the book, and a competent translator here, I expect great pleasure from its study.
My own series of articles, which have been in progress since 1891, have been thought worth reprinting in book form, and I hope soon to have the pleasure of sending you a copy.

Respectfully,
0. Chanute

Gustav Lilienthal to Chanute

May 5, 1894

Dear Sir:

As my brother, Mr. Otto Lilienthal, does not write English, I kindly ask you to accept my answer to your friendly letter of March 12th. We are pleased to learn that with the purchase of my brother's book «Der Vogelflug» you are ready to study our experiments. Indeed we would like to see them repeated on a larger scale by somebody who has greater resources at his disposal.
Our means for the experiments are very limited and we even have less spare time to be devoted to this diversion. Contrary to what has been published in certain foreign papers, we have not received the least assistance from any branch of the government whatever. The Emperor's recent gift to the Aeronautical Society has been used to purchase the balloon «Thoemi» as a replacement of the balloon "Humboldt" which was destroyed by fire.

Our experiments with fixed wings have been discontinued, and flapping wings will be substituted. We started out with the latter type, but had to stop, because shape and equilibrium had not been sufficiently investigated. The latter difficulty has been overcome, so that we now can try flapping wings again.

There is a hard road to be traveled, but we do not follow it without some guidance, although we would be pleased to have more than what our own studies provided.

We shall be very glad to see the publication of your investigations, and we note with great pleasure that your are going to send us a copy.

Very sincerely yours
G. Lilienthal

Chanute to Gustav Lilienthal

July 5, 1894

My dear Sir.
Illness and a death in my family must be my excuse for not sooner answering your kind letter of May 5.

I mail herewith a copy of by book, in which you will find your brother's last article as a appendix. - I venture again to request that you send me his portrait and abrief biographical notice for publication in "Aeronautics". I do not know the foreign practice but in this country such publication is considered quite proper, when a man has distinguished himself, and does not subject him to any inspectation of vanity in funishing the portrait and biography.

I have not yet succeeded in getting your brother's book translated, and I very much regret that I do not reed German, but I shall be glad to receive copies of such papers as you may publish.

Respectfully
O. Chanute

Chanute to Otto Lilienthal

September 20, 1894

My dear Sir.

I mail you with this 12 numbers of "Aeronautics" containing all the proceedings of the Conference on Aerial Navigation in Chicago.

This publication has now ceased to exist, but it has led to the establishment of an Aeronautical department in the "American Engineer" of which I am to be the Associate Editor.

You will soon be writing the report of your experiments this year, for publication in the "Zeitschrift" or other German paper, and there is the utmost desire in this country to learn of your experiments, which have been looked upon by myself and others as the most valuable thus far made.
I beg that you will do the "American Engineer" and myself the favor of having a full copy made, at my expense, of your proposed article, and send it to me in advance of its publication. I will have it translated and hold it until the time when it is to be published in Germany, so that it may appear simultaneously in the two countries; say at November 1. For that purpose, I should have it here about October 15, or otherwise it can only appear in America on the 1st of December.

I will remit the amount of the expense upon heating from you.
I again request that you should send me a photograph of yourself. I see your picture in "McClure's magazine" for September, but I want one for myself. I learn also that you have been so liberal as to send plans of your apparatus to an Engineer in New York, and to one in Massachusetts, and I am confirmed in the esteem which led me to write the editorial about you which you will find in the April »Aeronautics».
J wrote to your brother July 5 and sent a copy of my book, which I hope you have received.

Respectfully
0.Chanute
If you will write to me in German Iwill have your letter translated.

Chanute to Lilienthal

December 10, 1894

Herr Otto Lilienthal
Dear Sir:

I thank you for the printed copies of your articles in the "Zeitschrift" and in "Prometheus", which I duly received,

I have had the latter translated and published in the "American Engineer", and have had a copy sent to you.

I presume that you intend to give a further account of your experiments of 1894, and I should be very glad to receive an advance copy, to be translated and published in this country. Please draw a draft upon me, at sight, for any expense which you may incur in sending this advance copy.

Yours very truly
0.Chanute

Chanute to Lilienthal

July 17, 1895

I have been requested by Capt. Glassford, Chief Signal officer, U.S. Army, to ascertain on what terms you would furnish one of your «Segelapparate» complete, with instructions, as advertized by you in the «Taschenbuch». The intention, being to learn its use, so as to exhibit it in action at the Denver Exposition which is to open July 1st 1896.

Kindly advise me on the subject, and send me the latest publications which you have made on the subject.

Very respectfully
O. Chanute

Lilienthal to Chanute

Berlin, August 5, 1895

Mr. 0. Chanute
I gladly meet the wish expressed by you, but at the same time I would like to combine with it the sale of my American patent. I have had my apparatus patented in the United States, but I have no means of utilizing it; but if anybody could be found to acquire the patent, I would bind myself to send an apparatus, built with the latest improvements, and accompanied by full instructions. I have of late made important improvements in the machine, which I would agree to communicate to thc purchaser of my American patent. A contrivance lately added to my apparatus increases its stability to such an extent, that anyone can easily learn its use. In this way it is possible to change gliding flight into an interesting sport, and to make the sale of the apparatus commercially profitable.

Hoping to hear from you, I remain with high esteem

Yours truly
Otto Lilienthal

Chanute to Lilienthal

August 25, 1895

My dear Sir.
I have your letter of (August) 5.I congratulate you heartily upon your recent improvement and I will take pleasure in forwarding your wishes, so far as I can, concerning the sale of your U.S. patent.

Kindly advise me:

1.The number and date of your U. S. patent. I will get a copy myself.

2. The price you ask and terms of payment.

3. The nature of your recent improvements, so far as you can give it without disclosing secrets not yet patented.
4. The probable cost of manufacturing apparatus.

5. The price at which the machines can be sold or in other words the
profits to be expected. It seems to me that the best opportunity of effecting a sale will be among the bicycle manufacturers, but I shall be glad to have suggestions from you on this' subject.
I wrote this day to the Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Army, Dept. of [...], although I do not expect that he is in position to effect a sale of the patent.

Respectfully,
0. Chanute

Lilienthal to Chanute

Berlin, Sep.9, 1895

Mr. 0. Chanute
Replying to your esteemed favor would say that my U. S. patent bears the No 544.816 and was granted Aug.20, 1895. Its priority dates from Fehr. 28, 1894.
The transfer of this patent together with the delivery of a sailing apparatus would be effected by me for not less than $ 5.000,00.
I repeat that in case of my selling this patent I would consider it my duty to acquaint the buyer at once with all the innovations and also with all the publications made by me on this subject.
Awaiting your further favors, I remain
Very resp.
Otto Lilienthal

Lilienthal to Chanute

Berlin, Sep.11, 1895

Mr. 0. Chanute
To complete my last letter, I will tell you, that the innovations introducad by me on my sailing apparatus are directed especially towards facilitating their governing. I succeeded in constructing the apparatus of a size of 20 square m. (215 sq.ft.) so that they can be handled without danger in a wind of 10 m per second.

These apparatus would cost about Mark 100,00 each if made wholesale.

I have sold many of them at Mark 500,00 in England, France, Austria, Switzerland and Germany.
Very resp.
Otto Lilienthal

Chanute to Lilienthal

Sep.24, 1895

Dear Sir.
I have received your two letters of 9th and 11th inst.

Contrary to the usual practice of European inventors, I think you make a fair offer for the sale of your American patent, but it may take some little time to find a purchaser with the requisite commercial instinct to make money out of so unusual an invention.
I will try to find such a person, as I recognize that it would not be in my line to organize the business so as to make it a popular sport. Meantime I have put a paragraph into the «American Engineer»,of which I sent you a copy, stating that you have improved your apparatus so that unskilled persons can learn its use. I shall be glad to have further information in confirmation of this.

Respectfully
0. Chanute