[Transcription from original]

Translation mailed per May 30/96

196 Bacon St.

Boston, Mass. U.S.A.

                                                                                                                  April 30th 1896.

Otto Lilienthal, Ing.

113, Köpenicker Strasse.

Berlin, SO., Germany

Dear Sir:

I received your telegram April 7th and now your letter fo the 17th just has come. I thank you for the kind words you say about the Aeronautical Annual. I am very sorry that you cannot come to America this year but I hope that we can make you such a liberal offer of money later on that you will find it for your intent to come to this country in 1897. Will you please send to me promptly everything that is printed concerning your 1896 experiments?



Can I be sure of having another article from you by October 1th so that I can print it for the leading article in the Aeronautical Annual for 1897. I think that No. 3 of the

Lilienthal-2  (2 Annual will be a great improvement over No. 2. If you will contribute such an article describing your 1896 experiments, it will be a very great help to the cause of science here in America. Please send me all the photographs you can. If you send them unmounted they will come more quickly by letter post and I can have them mounted here.Now I will tell you how you can make some money, without leaving Berlin at all.



Supposing we send over to you at Berlin at our own expense, four or five American athletes, will you name a price for furnishing each of them with a machine of your best make and also for giving to them sufficient instruction in the use of the machines, that is in flying from your conical hill.



Out of the four or five probably some would do better than others, but do you not think that one or two out of (3 them from or five would be able to reflect credit upon you when they return to exhibit in America?



If these men are successful in getting instruction they might be able to teach the art to others here in America and that, of course, would create a demand for your machines.

Please let me know if you can undertake this in July or August.



Please name a price for four or five machines. Please also name price for the necessary instructions.Of course we should send over only carefully selected men.



Will you oblige me with an answer by an early mail?

Yours very truly

James