New-York tribune., 1907-10-30
LEGITIMATE AER0NArTIc Uoprs

To the proceedings Of the acronautlc congress
which has just beea in session in this city nm
AR OF conservatism was impaired by the ad-
dress Of its president Professor Moore believes
that some of the expectations regarding the
uses Of the airShip which were cherished a few
years ago We're cXtrayaEant. He does not think
! mat the commercial functions now exercised
10y the steamship and railroad will ever De per-
( formed 10y vehicle travcrslng the air. It's ser
vice will. in his judgment be limited TO war
fare the exploration Of regions practically in
accessible by other means and work Of n slml.
lary exceptional nature The expression OF
these moderate opinions certainly ought 10 exert
. a wholesome influence.
1t Is noteworthy that neither the gas-bar typo
OF selfpropelled airShip nor the acroplanc com
/ manded the unanimous confidence of the CON
gress. Professor Moore laid stress on what
seemed TO him the superiority of the dlrigible
balloon now enjoying such favor at London,
Paris and Berlin. Brgadier General Allen Mt
the head of the signal service of the American
army, recognized the fact that the heavier
than air. machine has not yet been sufficiently
developed but he held that it was destined to
! achieve great triumphs in the future Finally
Admiral Chester bold enough to predict
that before long an acrOplane would form part
Of the equipment Of all warships Such n
diversity of conviction is natural in the present
state Of aerOnaUtic science, hut il shows how
difficult it must be for the authorities at Wash
ington to make a choice between duplicate
of La Patrie and the device Of the Wright
brothers.
If, however the American government has
been slow TO experiment with the diriglble bal
loon, it has evinced lively interest in the aero
plane. The final test of Iangley's flying ma
chine made for the War Department and
was promoted by Congressional apprOpria-
! tion. No doubt the unfortunate result Of that
promising venture has discouraged for time
any official disposition To solicit more money
for the same purpose.
To how many uses q sef-propelled airshlp is
! likely to be put In war is another question
which there is yet no general agreement Like
the captive balloon, the dirigible balloon and
the aeroplane are ADAPTED to the work of recon
J nolssance Professor Moore thinks that they
NAV be employed also for the direction OF ar
tllery fire 10y wireless telegraphy but he wisely
hestates TO predict any further application to
offensive service. The annihilatiOn Of an army
or war vessel with an aerial torpedo has of
late been proposed by more than one military
officer and by persons who are without military
experience. Such an attack from overhead
would be feasible, of course, If there were
| certainty of securing a fairly accurate aim and
/ if no effective mode of repelling the assailant
should be available. No one seems to he able
to offer guarantee on either of these points.
however, and there is a possibility that pre-
viously existing international agreement to alb
stain from this sort of warfare may be re-
newed The military value of the airship,
therefore, is not likely to be determined for
wears.