The evening times., 1900-10-19

NEW YORK, Oct 19.-Count Won Yep
pelin's experiment with his airship above
the waters of Lake Constance, in Europe is
being carefully watched by the scientists
of America. In New York city two dis
tinct interests hope to use the air as a
medium for transit in the near future-the
army to destroy life and the life-saving
corps to save it. If the experiments prove
practicable money will not be lacking to
test the machine in this country.
Col. G. L. Gillespie. of the Corps of En-
gineers. having charge of the Northeast
division of the United States. said yester-
day:
The balloon has been used by our army
not only in the Spanish American war. but
in the civil war. But the balloons used
have been captives, held by rope to the
ground and at the command of those on
the surface. Now that an airship has been
found to be under the control OF those on
board the possibilities are far-reaching-
Such a balloon can be legitimateiy used
in two ways to my idea OF the rights of
warfare. One is to drop explosives on
bloclading fleet; the other is to connect the
people Of a besieged city with their coun-
trymen beyond the lines of the enemy. All
methods Of extinction are permissible IN
the first Instance, but L believe that used
in any other manner would bring the peo-
pie applying it under the title Of barba-
riaps.
Il do not believe that the balloon would
be in much danger from the enemy. The
Calling gun is supposed TO cover an area
Of two miles and a half but / doubt if it
would be effective pointed up in the air
at that distance.
But 1t is one of the rules of warfare
that no lives should be sacrificed unless
the force is capable of demanding sur
render or at least Of doing something in
| that direction Bombarding cities is a
| thing OF the past. Life is not to be de-
stroyed ruthlessly.
Dynamite might be dropped from on
! high upon an enemy to throw them into
confusion, but unless enough balloons
/ could be used to follow Up the advantage
| by landing an invading force into the
! city camp thus attacked it would be
| against the accepted modes Of modern
warfare. 1t would be pot-huating, not
war, where these dropping explosives
| would be absolutely safe in doing So
! 4 believe that the balloon Will play an
| important part in wars to come, and per
J haps Won Zeppelin Will solve the great
question of the unconqGered air as me-
! dunn of travel. We shall watch his fur
ther experiment with great interest"
Major w l. Marshall, who is al the
head of the engineer corps having charge
| of New York Earbor's dSfSnce, eXpryss ed
| deep concern in Won Zeppelin's a.rsn- p
| He said:
AS I read the news from the other
| side / understand that his airsh CT Z
carry quite q number CT men and a large
! quantity of explosives Fers- -naily,
| would rather feel the ground under my
| l,a+ 20, hot lc
| airshIp may become a great and pes
sibly deciding factor in some future
battle
Il consider that the use of explosives
from a height is perfectly proper il
warfare. Surely party Of men ascend
| ing to drop explosives into an enemy S
! camp take their lives in their hands.
Their balloons may be punctursd sn1 the
| very dynamite they take up 10 use On
| the enemy may prove their own destruc-
| tion.
Besides, the airship is something thai
can be used by b1th sides. and a battlt
in the air between two balloons would
undoubtedly result in the des, ,ruction o.
both. So it is as fair and as dang sTous
for one as for another"
J. Wesley, the head of the Volunteer
| Life-Saving Corps, said he would be glaC
to have one Of Count Won Zep2eIin's air
ships for use at Atlantic City, Rockaway-
or Coney Island. He said further:
There is a mile stretch along the Rock
| away beaches which is at present guard
ed by twenty or more Iife-savers. Witt
a balloon lowering over the coast this
stretch would be better guarded than i
possibly can be under present conditions
The life-saver in the balloon, having con
troll over his airship, could dart TO an,
point with great speed and the loss of lif
would be greatly decreased - perhap
eliminated entirely That is the condi
ton at which we hope to arrive.
Atlantic City would furnish the bes
field, however There we have forty life
savers a practicable life-saving airshi
would prove the greatest benefit to tn
people there