The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-03
BALLOONS IN ARMY
MAJOR saUIER DISCUSSES VALUE
 OF AIRsHIPs.
In An Address Before Society Of -NIe- chnnlnnI Engineer Signal Corps
 OfHeer EareAiefs Future Use. Of 1nventiOns. '.ss

New York, Dee. 2.--Ma3or a. ? O. Squier Of the signal Corps, u-ss. A., today read a paper on the uses of military balloons. before the Anneri- cen Society of Mechanical Engineers in session here,
 Major Sduier. presented 8. most ex- haustive paper on the general sub jeet of the present status of military aeronautics treating. luis subject large ly- from a scientific standpoint. but also touching upon the popular side of the question. His paper was ae- companied by. series of excellent photograpfs showing the operations of dirigible baIioAAe and Aeroplanes in this country and abroad.
 resistless wave of enthusiasm. and endeavor. sweeping away every preju- dice. Major Squier declared, Is passing over the entire civilized world, fixing She attention of all classes on the
 He discussed at some length the question of aerial loconotion in war fare. Whatever may be the influence of aerial navigation upon the art of war, he said, the fact which must be considered at present is that each of the principal military powers is dis playing feverish activity In developing this auxiliary as an adjunct to the military establishnent.
 Regarding the technical use of dirigibles and aeroplanes in warfare. Major squier held there was nothing but theory at present. to guide us. However, in the case of the former 1t would appear. he said, that two dif- ferent classes of ships. should be de- veloped first, a comparatively diriei- ble type to be used principally for scouting purposes and to limited ex- tent. for. carrying explosives for the demolition for incendiary purposes, such as destroying bridges and supply l depots close to the Mobile army or coast defense fortresses. In reconnoi- tering in day they should have to manouever 6 mile higher but at night could descend to within a few hun dred feet and obtain much valuable 1 information. The second type may be ! developed for burden bearing pur- l poses. There is mo reasons to doubt that arships of capacity from 100000 | to 1,0O0, 900 cubic feet may be ulti- I mately developed to obtain speeds of 1 fifty to seventy-fiye miles an hour. With such capacity the craft becomes a practicable engine of war which | may be used in all ordinary war.
 By keeping high in the air in the | day time and descending at night, they
 may launch high explosives producing ] great damage. Being able to pass
 over armies and proceed at great speed the objectives would not be the
 enemy's armies. but their efforts
 would be directed against his base of
 supply. to destroy his dry docks, arse.
 nals, ammunition depots, railway cen l ters store houses and, indeed the enc. 1 uly's navy itself. Major SQuier recognizes that suita-
 bic harbors or places of sofety fot
 replenishing supplies and for seeking 1 shelter in times of stress for the larger types of dirigibles will be me- cessary just as ships need harbors but this want may be met by using deep narrow valleys and ravines. sur | rounded by forests, or other protec- tions, or prepared railway cuts. etc. where the airship may descend and be l reasonably safe from the winds above
 He declared that If the United | States had possessed in 1898 a single dirigible balloon the American army ] and navy would not have long re- l f1ained in doubt of the presence of | Cervera's fleet in Santiago harbor.
 He believes that the perfection of
 ships of the air for military purposes
 will materially contribute on the
 wholefi to make war less likely in the
 future than in the past