The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-05-20
A|RSH|PS AS
SHIPS ONLY
LITTLE CHANCE THAT AERIAL
CRAFT CAN CARRY GUNS.
The Hague Conference Forbade Drop
ping Explosives by Flying Ma
chimes, but Army M.n Believe
That 1t May Be Done.

Washington, May l9.-The aero
plane is no longer visionary. That
heavier than air machine can fly has
been demonstrated. II only remains
to perfect its control The Wright
brothers are working along lines that
promise practical success. II within
a reasonable period the Wright broth
ers do not produce practical ina.
chine under the terms of the con
tracts now in force between them and
the government, the government will
itself build aeroplaucs from plans and
specifications drawn by army experts.
Machines along these lines, 1t is be-
levcd, will fly.
These views Wc.c expressed today
10y General James +. Allen, chief of
the United States signal corps under
whose department the balloon and
the aeroplanc corps OF the army is
working General Allen said that the
use of balloons or acroplanes to
transport troops or supplies was im-
practical. so far as the future could
uc pccrcd into. lie does believe, how.
ever that il will not be long before
the war departments of all countries
will ,aye balloons or airships com
petent to do ) out WORK, travel
swiftly over an area broad enough
TO make them practical, and carry
crew large enough TO take observa
tions or hurl devastating explosives.
From dirigible balloons the firing
of any gun would be impracticable,
as the creation of sparks would be
dangerous. As for aeroplanes, it Is
hardly probable that enough lifting
and carrying power TO sustain gun
OF sufficient caliber to be effective
can be adduced. Therefore. the future
Of the air vessel must be confined to
swift air scouting and possibly the
/ hurting of explosives. General Allen
, realizes that other governments are
making t emendous strides jim the
same line of endeayor, and he believes
/ that aeropane and dirigible balloon
building by the nations OF the world
" II be pushed on the most extensive
scale by all governments from this
time on.
General Aliens idea is that the dir
| igible balloon is now in such a state
/ that it can be used as an engine Of
war, not only against the camp Of
/ the enemy by day or night, but
against another lplloon preparing
Tor similar purpose on the other
| SIDE
General Allen answered the antago-
nism OF The Hague conference to the
use OF deadly explosives from bal
/ looms in this way:
1T is probably right and proper for
/ The Hague conference to oppose such
/ In ngs as floating mines, which often
do rreparable damage to neutrals,
aud ii may afford an argument for
\ opposing the dropping OF explosives
/ from balloons But what would a
SALOON do that was fired upon in
time of war? Would It not retaliate
in selfdefense? Would it not do all
it could to protect itself and that, too,
by its own means Of oftense?'
Theoretical articles have been writ
ten about a possible invasion OF Great
Britain by balloons,
That" said General Allen, lis not
a very likely contingency, 1t is to
be assumed that equal progress will
pe made by all first class nations.
II a fleet of dirigible balloons or aero
planes were launched against the
shores of England, its home fleet and
its dock yards, the enemy would have
to reckon first with an English de-
Tense by means of balloons or aero
planes, and the opposing airships
would meet each other"
All of the experts OF the war de
partment have come 10 the conclusion
that even If the aeroplane should
never be perfected the dirigible bal
loon has been so advanced for pur
poses of a.' navigation that the rev
oution in warfare already has arriv
ed