New-York tribune., 1908-02-11
ARMY AND NAVY NEWS
Military Strateg1sts C1ticise Fiylng
Machines.
TFrom The Tribune Bureau


VIEWS AT WAR COLLEGE-Army War Colless
experts in military strategy who work out plans or
campaign have taken up the relations Of the flying
machine to future operations Of an army IN the
field The military balloon has been discussed IN
this way and promptly classified as feature whlcn
possess restricted value In the first place. IL
is said balloon unwieIdy, despite the nechan-
ism which has been developed for it's control. It IS
bound to be erratically influenced by the currents
the upper air, and II Of the captive variety
it is likely to place the observers in peril as IL Is
to give them opportunities obtain useful nfor-
nation. Besides, the huge bag of the balloon or1er5
a vulnerable target to the sharpshooter The aero
plane or heavier-than-air flying machine, Is an
Improvement in that respect. but 1t is bound to
have sufficient bulk to be easily hit, and perfora-
ton OF It's wings would undoubtedly disable IT. II
will have along with the military balloon. certain
value a means of observation. with facilities for
conveying headquarters by telephone the lay
the land" Practical military students promptly
reject the suggestion that it will ever be used as
source of attack. In fact, any such method OF de-
structon as dropping explosives would be promptly
ruled out inhuman. 1t is far cry say army
officers to the time when there will be battles in
the air The contracts for the flying machines
which have just been awarded by the board or
ordnance and fortifcation expected to result
in something interesting but one looks for any
such developments in the problem of mechanical
fight as will render either the military balloon or
the aeropIane of much more value than is the cap
tive balloon of to-day. 1t is. therefore, not being
considered by experts vital factor in military
strategy.
ORDERS IssUED.-The following orders have
been issued:
Captain HENRY B. CLARK. coast artillery corps acting
to temporary charge off ocs MsoT o oHN
EI,STON BAXTER. Quarternaster .,,
First Lieutenant FRANK H coast
corps from 10th Company commanding officer
artillery district Of Narragansett for stan duty.
neers to General Hospital Washington Barracks
Captain EDWARD ANDERSON. 9TH Cavalry, detaiIed IN
subsistence department vice captain KA1-Pd Kali
RISON. commissary. who is assigned TO ith cavalry
Fort Riley. Captain ANDERSON to training school
for bakers and cooks Fort Riley x. 60 ,.n.-.,
Captain EDGAR A MACKIIN- 18th Infantry TO eenerai
Hospital Fort Bayard- -.
Second Lieutenant FiELp1NG l. PoINDEXTER; coast coast
from Fort Monroe 10 Army ana Navy
General Hospital. Hot Springs
NAVY.
Lieutenant Commander d. V. Il. ALLEN. to the Wis
Lieutenant A A PETERSON. the Mississippi
resignation accepted.
Lieutenant L. BROOKS. 1r.. resignation accepted.
MOVEMENTS OF wARSHIPs-The following
movements of vessels have been reported to the
Navy Department:
ARRIVED.
rabrnsrv The Milwaukee at Magdalena Bay.
February sThe Des Moines and me Iacoa a.
Roads. the Sterling at san Juan; IN" Moh'soHei'
Newport: Yorktown at Acapulco.
SAILED.
February THE Connecticut Louisiana the kansas
the Vermont the Georgia the New Jersey the aIhoae
Island the virginia the Minneso.a ne as-te the
Kentucky, Illinois. the Cugoa- the GLACIER, me
and the Ajax from Punta arenas Ior Cas 40
Lawrence and the Truxtun from Punta Arenas Ior
Talcahuana