The Washington times., 1906-07-15
AIRSHIP AND AUTO
FOR USE IN BATTLE
America Keeping Pace With
Foreign Countries in
Experiments.
FIGURE IN NEXT CONFLICT
Balloons and Motor Cars Already Sue
cessfully Employed by the
Army.

armies Of the world are being led in
the innovation of modern instruments Of
warfare by the United States. which al
ready is successfully experimenting with
and preparing TO adopt both balloons and
automobiles for practical use in case Of
possible conflict.
The Signal Corps of the Army. which
has been quietly experimenting for some
time. now has six balloons which are
available for use and five automobiles: {:
the Quartermaster' Department has
half a dozen large automobiles. and are
experimenting with others which may
he purchased at an early date; the Medi-
cal Department has one regular touring
car and one ambulance. and is consider
ing the advisability of having other am
balances constructed for its especial use.
Signal Corps Experiments.
While no practical demonstrations
have been made with the balloons. exc
Deriments which have been conducted
leave no doubt ln the minds OF the off,
cials as to the value that would result
in the work of the Signal Corps If they
were put 10 service in time of need. All
the automobiles have gone through vari-
Gus tests and nearly all Of them have
been put 10 service at different army
posts.
So satisfactory have been the results
of the eNDeriments with both the bal
looms and automobiles that the officers
ot the army. as weU as War Department
officials. from Secretary Taft down. are
convirc-, that the methods Of warfare
would bc revoluuonized by their use.
Not satisfied with the balloons al
HTs.
Corps, OF (which Brigadier General Allen
is the chief, has just. placed an order
with Louis Goddard. the Paris balloon
maker, who manufactured the bags for
the Wellman airship expedition that is
now en- route TO the North Pole This
balloon viii carry TWO persons and VIII
be nlled with a new compound. known
as hydrolite. manufactured by the
French company The Signal Corps Is
anXiously awaiting the delivery OF this
balloon, in order 10 -determine the mer-
its of hydrolite in comparison with
hydrogen gas.
Watching Foreign Armies.
For a number of years Signal Corps
officials have been quietly watching the
results of experiments with the means
OF aerial navigation by foreign armies,
particularly Germany. AS a result. a
German balloon was recently purchased.
This is known as a dragon balloon, "
and it is thought that it can be relied
upon for valuable service. The other
five now in the possession OF Signal
Corps are the ordinary pear-shaped
bags. of different sizes, some capable Of
carrying two or three pesous.
The automobiles Of the Signal Service
demonstrated that they were worth sew
eral times their cost in San Francisco
during he recent fire following the
earthquake. One passenger and one
freight machine We're there at the time,
and they were promptly put 10 constant
use oy Generals Greely and Funston,
the officers using the passenger machine
in ti1air necessary trips over the city
while the freighter was used in convey
ing relief supplies 10 different sections
OF the city
Autos at Camp Roosevelt.
The ma dchiues OF the quartermaster s
department are mealt for use Of the
officers in the field, and they will be
put 10 their first really practical tests
in August at tho maneuvers in different
sections of the Country. One has been