The morning journal-courier., 1908-08-06
AIRSHIP DEFENES
Congress to Be Asked for One
Million Dollars to Purchase
Them for Coasts.
TURNED DOWN BEFORE
At Present One Free and Two Captive
Balloons Are All Our Nation
Possesses.

Convinced Of the utility OF diriglble
war balloons, the board or ordnance OF
the war department will make a rec
ommendation, which is to be embodied
In the annual report OF the secretary OF
war, for large appropriation by con-
gress for military balloons as means
for coast defence. Officers Of the sig
nal corps Of the army including Gen.
eral Allen, are convinced that the gov
eminent can afford to invest $4,000, 900
in this type of military air craft but
the amount 10 be urged Immediately
will be an even 100000. II this APP
preparation Is granted il Is the inten-
tion to establish coast defence balloon
stations and 10 drill men in the drop
ping OF high explosives from balloons.
These stations would be located at
Boston, New York, Norfolk, Charles
ton. Mobile, San Diego San Francisco
and Bremerton, and the moral effect OF
such an adjunct to the coast defence is
counted upon as of inestimable value.
The amount TO be sought at the
next session of congress is Just four
I iiii'N W hhi was Sou last NllltIs Jllt
signal corps then wanted s250.000,
! but scaled Its estimates down II
! 10000, and congress appropriated
nothing 1t Is now believed that con-
4 gree will heed the appeal to he made
next winter Whatever the attitude
/ of the legislators. the recommendation
Will be made with more force than
1at Oh t,,a "A
from abroad, as well as from the ex-
4 periments at Fort Myer next month.
will be spread before the military
committees. officers of the signal
corps expect the coming experiments
to demonstrate that the heavier than
air" flying machines are without prom
ise for practical military purposes,
be apparent that the dirgible balloon
is the only really available thing in
this line for military purposes.
The United States is the only leading
power that has yet signed the declara-
ton Of the last Hague conference pro-
hlblting the discharge Of projectiles
and explosives from balloons. That
F u'NldIdllOil was Idllllfu NY ll' ENlittS
on March 10 last, and It prohibits for
a period extending to the close of the
third peace conference the discharge Of
projectles and explosives from balloons
or by other new methods of similar
nature.
At present the United States govern
ment has but one free and two captive
! \, Co..
balloon order, which will probably be
delivered In a months time. In addition
to these five balloons bids have been
awarded to Thomas S. Baldwin for a
dirigble, and the Wright brothers and
A. NJ. Herring of New York, for an
aeroplane each. Under the speclilca-
tons Baldwins dlrigible Is to be deliv
cred on July I, Herring's aeroplane on
Aug 10 and the Wright brothers aero
plane on Aug 2S.
one month each Is allowed after the
day Of delivering for trials by the
inventors, when date npst be set
by them for the final acceptance trial
by board of Signal Cor Is officers.
The final acceptance trials will be
Helu III EbIl MStI, d. COuIse w
! five miles and return will have to be
covered, the direction to be collected by
, Brigadier General Allen, chief signal
officer of the army. The tentative
, courses any one of which may be
, chosen, are west to Falls church, each
J to Anacostia, south to Alexandria and
north to Tenleytown. The Alexandra
course at present Is favored by Gen.
y eral Allen. In addition to the presen
v balloon house at Fort Myer a large
/ tent 10 feet by lao feet high will b'
O erected by the war department fol
s the use of the dirigibles and aero
h planes when not In use.
Under the specifications the dirigi
bles must have at least speed of 2
:, miles an hour In still air and designe,
: to carry two persons, having a com
bned weight of $50 pounds, and a
: least 100 pounds ballast, which ma
be compensated for increased weigh
when operating in rain, The "heav
4 ier-than-oir' flying machine mus
have speed of at least 40 miles a