Dayton, December 20, 1904
We finished our experiments several weeks ago and have now dismantled the machine. During the season one hundred and five starts were made. The best flights since my last letter were on Nov. 16th and Dec. 1st, the flights being 2 1/4 turns of the field on the first named date, and almost four rounds on the last. Although 70 lbs. of steel were carried in this last flight to balance the machine, it was still insufficient and the flight was made with pressure on the top side of the front rudder. We succeeded in curing the trouble caused by the tendency of the machine to turn up too much laterally when a short turn was made.
We saw our attorneys a few days after writing you and found that none of the references cited were of any serious importance. The citation to the Moedebeck handbook related to your "doubledeck" machine and its tail. We think the patents will be allowed, though in Germany it will be necessary to take out separate patents for the various features, instead of including everything in one patent as in American practice.
I am returning the Moedebeck book and the French clipping relating to prizes. We thank you for the loan of them. Whether we go to France depends on how well it fits in with our other plans, which are not yet matured.