New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-09-11
MILITARY AERONAUTTCS.

Now that the Wrights have shown that they
can In most respects comply with the require
ments Of their contract with the War Depart
ment both they and their fellow countrymen
are to be congratulated. The governments OF
several other nations have obtained, or taken
steps to obtain, alrships of a single type-tne
dirigible balloon. None has purchased or
ordered an aeroplane, perhaps because each
wants to see whether something better than
those of Farman and Delagrange can be had.
On the other hand, the United States will soon
have two kinds of self-propelled airships at Its
disposal and If the Herring aeropane stands
the approaching official tests as well as that
of the Wrights, this country will possess two
splendid specimens of the type concerning
which there has Of late been the most curiosity.
The sooner the government begins practising
with its airships the sooner 1t will discover
what further improvements are necessary to
insure the largest efficiency. Inasmuch as
the WrIghts have found a special launching de-
vice essential, they are slightly handicapped aC
present. With little ingenuity, no doubt, the
drawback can be overcome. Other changes in
design may also be deemed desirable in the
light of experience A second advantage In
having two kinds of airshtp is that 1t will be
feasible to institute practical comparison OF
their respective merits. Whether the dirigible
balloon or the heavier than air. machine Will
In the long run prove to be the more service
able has hitherto been matter OF conjecture.
The government can now try to determine
which would be the more easily disabled by an
enemys shot, which is the more easily
wrecked by explosion or other accident, and
which is likely to maneuvre with the greater
facility. Until these and allied questions are
answered 1t will be good policy to procure and
use both styles Of aerial vehicle.
II grows increasingly obvious daily that pro-
vision for the training Of men in handling air
ships should be made. As General Murray
chief Of artillery of the War Department, re-
marked the other day, the functions OF such
craft are yet to be developed. They Will al
most certainly be employed for scouting, and
il now looks as II they would also be devoted
TO offensive warfare The interest evinced by
Secretary Metcalf, too, indicates the possloli-
itv that aeronautics will become an ADJUNCT
study of the navy as well as OF the army. a
school In which the art can be taught, there
fore, will soon be demanded by one or both
branches of the military service. Whatever
recommendations on this subject are made next
winter by Secretary Wright and Secretary Met
calf should receive prompt and favorable con-
sdera ton from Congress.
In the triumph of the Wrights the world
should recognize not only the reward OF non
est effort and perseverance by the Dayton In
ventors, but also a vindication of the pioneer
workers with the aeroplane. 1t shows how
well founded was the faith of Lilienthal,
Maxim and Langley. Very often the margin
between apparent failure and true success is
n narrow one. Lilienthal was killed by fall
in one of his gliding experiments, but only after
by hundreds of such flights he had shown the
soundness of the principle which he was
working Maxim abandoned his efforts only
after his machine had flown too well and
iumped the track he laid for it Langley, whose
researches into the theory of the aeroplane were
more thorough than those Of any one else,
built a model that worked to perfection. His
big machine, there is now ample reason to be-
lieve. would have acted very much as the
Wright machine does II 1t had been properly
launched.