The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-29
BATTLES OF FUTURE
DEPEND ON SIGNALS
General Allen Says America
Is Behind Aeronautic
Experiments.
SUPPLY OF GAS
BALLOON PROBLEM
Wants Stations All Along Coast TO
Watch Enemy-Japs Perfected
Field Telegraph.

This is going 10 be the real art Of
war in the future" declared Gen. James
Allen. chief signal officer, in conclusion
Of a discussion Of the art of military
signaling. IN which he had included the
ancient and obsolete art Of "wig-wag-
ging." Photograph signaling, the use Of
field telegraphy, wireless work, and,
finally, the application Of aeronautics
20 the intelligence work Of army and
navy.
General Allen strongly hopes that the
coming tests Of diTigible balloons and
heavier-than-air flying apparatuses will
open the way 10 greater accomplish
ments in these lines than have been
possible in this country thus far. Com
pared with what they have done in
other countries, especially in France
and Germany" he said. 1T may be set
down that We have accomplished almost
nothing. These American experimenters
have done some splendid work. but they
have not had the means to build and
test the big. practical contrivances that
must be developed. We hope that Con-
gress will provide the money 10 make
all this work of the Signal Corps more
effiCient than is possible 10 have It with
present means.
Corps Ought to Be Doubled.
Take the signal Corps as a whole.
should say that ir the matter of ma
teriaI and equipment, no country is bet
ter equipped, or even so well. for this
work. as we are. We have the best Of
everything. But we need more men.
Why, there are only 1,212 men in the
Signal Corps. The number ought TO be
doubled forthwith; then it would be rea-
sOnably adequate to present needs.
General Allen consider that the diri-
gibIe balloon is the practical and useful
thing for the present He Is deeply in
terested in the achievements of Farman
and the Wrights. but admits uncertain
ties as to just how useful it can be
made
'.Farman has told us that he would
not undertake TO fly more than fifteen
or twenty feet above the ground" he
said. The Wrights assure US that they
can do better than this. and that
their machines will rise as high IS they
may be needed we don't know much
about what they can really do, simply
because they have kept their accomplish
more about them. ard all the world
will, as a result OF the trials they viii
shortly make auFort NIyer. The very
fact that so much of mystery has sur
rounded their flying win add 10 the
interest taken. 1t is possible they may
have a real revelation for the world
One feature of the heavier-than-air
machines which in anything like their
IpEnI0nnRnfE nGrTgrrE
their value, is that they must be NOV
ing. They cant stand still in the air,
though IL is true that many birds prac-
tically do that and perhaps the art
will one day be attained by man; but
when il is done, il viii mark the cUl-
minatiOn Of the investigation; II viii
be the proof that man has learned the
real art of flying.
Fill Balloon From Tubes.
For the purposes Of the dirigible bal
loon, one difficulty is the supply of gas.
There" said General Allen. holding up
a picture q q big dirigible, is a bal
loon thai will hold about 10000 feet Of
gas. Now, this hydrogen tube that has
been perfected to carry compressed gas,
is so compa L that one hundred of the
tubes, weighing about forty pounds
each. would initiate it. They could be
hauled around by a pair of good mules.
50 the problem Of the gas supply is
pretty well solved The hydrogen plant
which IS TO be operated in connection
with the nid-continent signal station at
Fort Omaha. will be the finest and
largest in the world. We viii have
about four companies of the Signal
Corps-4OO men-there at Fort Omaha,
and it will be the great interior point
for experiments Of all kinds with aero
nautics, electric communication, etc.
Our officers school at Fort Leaven-
worth is one Of the finest institutions
Of it's kind in the world. It takes up
and works out these speCiaIties, which
II IS impossible TO handle in connection
with the general military education
given at West Point.
In time we ought to have series Of
balloon stations along the coasts. for
the purpose Of observation Of enemies.
Each should be a double establishment:
that is, should have a double balloon
house and two balloons. with the neCeS-
sary gas plant. That would represent
investment Of about 100000 at each
place. With a series OF these up and
down the coasts. our facilities for OBJ
serving an enemy. would be such as no
country has ever yet had in time Of
war The French and Germans keep
such facilities along their frontier,
watching each other all the time"
Japs Developed Telegraph.
General Allen gives great credit to
the japanese for their development and
practical utilization OF field teIegraphy