Chicago, November 16, 1905
I thank you for your letter of 8th and copies of your correspondence with the War Department,1 which are received upon my return from Kansas City.
It is a great pity that you were unable to make your record flight this year. If either the British or French agent come this winter they will want to see a long flight and you may have to go to Mobile or Pensacola to perform it in any comfort.
I sent you yesterday an article which will interest you in the Technical World Magazine for December2 which is just out. I mail to you herewith some recent clippings3 which may amuse you; particularly the French one which announces, page 138, that a Frenchman has solved the problem of flight in a most simple way.
I shall be glad to learn of your further plans and achievements.
1 Unlike those sent by Wilbur in June 1, 1905, and returned by Chanute, June 6, 1905, these were copies to be retained and were sent between Nov. 8 and 15; the cover letter, if there was one, has not survived.
2 "When Men Wear Wings," by Gilson Gardner. This article contained a strong statement that "the mastery of the air" had been achieved by the Wrights in 1903, a fact which "the whole world of aeronautical science knows," and de fended the Wrights for keeping secret the details of an invention "which may revolutionize the art and practice of warfare."
3 These have not been identified.