Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-10-31
Secretary Tafl's Promise Of 5000,
900 War Balloon Fund APousss
Enthusiasm in The Army.
TO BEGIN TIE TaAIN|NS OF Hen
Drills WIN be introduced and Con.
s'ruction Of DrIobIc Airahips WIN
Soon be Under way-How the Men
Who win Manage Balloons Win be
Educated to 1t.

-N.'ii M io-Ns -. -. OCt. oU--lCu-
oTal Aliens statement to The Inter
mauohai Aeronautlcal Congress. that
secretary Taft will recommend mn mn.
preparation of S2O0.0 900 for an nero.
nautical branch In tho army. reflects
The Importance which tho war De.
partment gives to the advantages of
military balloonng. ana the practic.
ability of dirgiblcs, The first stcp In
me construciion OF the governments
aerial ncet Is made. and, although
now iar behind European compit tors.
me United states VIII take un nero.
nNuucs on large scale and n is pro.
uiclcd hcrc that within n few years
me war Department will have dir.
lgible fleet second 10 none. The cstnh.
lishmcnt OF a separate acronautical
branch in the army Is welcomed as
the most practicable means of assur
Ing rapid progress.
Since the rapid strides In aerial nay
cation abroad and the construction
OF French and German drigibles for
military purposes the Signal Corps
mas been seriously hnndlcapncd b.
having no money to comnete with for
elgn neronauts. The secrets of thcir
success were known here. their mach.
7 neg studied and tnderstoo1, and otn..
Ter devices and Inventions OF Amcri.
cans who had Witnessed the progress
OF dirlgibes in France and Germany
were Mt tho disposal IT the Wnr De.
lpartment. At the same time Il v,as
/ regarded by the Signal Corps off GERS
that dirigihlcs were no longer in the
experimental stage,and that the United
STATES government must either b6rln
constructing a fleet or be left woefully
behind
There was, however. no money ut
the disposal OF the Signal Curps TO
carry on is work. The annual appro.
nrialion of the Signal Corps is Int
( 100000. every cent OF which wns
consumed in running expenses. cxpend.
ed in this country and the Philippines.
Want Appropriat on From Congress.
| Tho only solution lay in n special
appropriation from Congress. At .his
time Secretary Taft recognized the
military advantage OF dir.gibles and
promised an appropriation of s20nnGo
for the construction OF dirigibes. The
first dirigible was then planned rs
previously publ shed. This balloon
was calculated to be 1870 feet long
with capacity OF $4,000 cubic feet ana
ito have . speed OF 81 mills an hour.
lThc dirlGiblc was to be equipped wih
i212O horse power engines pnl to cost
S6OOOO. In view of rapid stride;
abroad the first Dir gible constructed
for the army may embody some of
the later inventions OF The foreign ex-
Iperts.
These pans were maturc,i before
the st. Louis balloon carnival. Con
lsidering the results obtained thrrc and
the general intrest excited in balloon
ing throughout the country as ! re-
suit OF the races. ii Is expected that
Congress VII be beral in its arp~o.
Ipriations and that ballooning can he
begun on Il much larger scale dian
Expected
One OF tho Important features of
aerial navigation is 10 be tile traumg
oi the mon to handle the dirgiblas
There are few men in the United
4 States now who could handle the
balloons If the dirigiblc fleet were al
READY constructed Men detalcI for
aerial service must first be given .rnin-
ling in the air so they become accuS
toned to the higher attitudes. This
Twill be brought about by a ia"ies of
,asccnsions first in captive haiiccns.
then in balloons Of the orlinary' typo.
Tho men can then be depended ~
lVn VIII IL cdlHes 10 ndluilhS hlrlSiDl@t.
The Instructions given the ten enlist
cd men hy Leo Stevens has resulted
most satisfactorily TO the War De
lrnrtment These men are now in a
lposition to inparl tltir instruction 10
others who in turn can begin ;no
Itrainng OF new classes
Special attention will be given to
tho drifting of The mon detailed for
lany kind Of service in conuectlpn with
lthe new fleet. In addition new balloon
lsheds and stations will be construct
cd al fferent points throughout tho
country TO be selected by tho Signal
Corps.