The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-09-16
CONFLICTING FORCES.

Whenever we near oi new ois- covery or invention for war purposes that promises to revoiutionise that thing to nullify that discovery. For years there has been rivalry between armor plate on the one side and guns and projectiles on the other. No sooner has a manufacturer of arrnor plates announced that he has produced a plate that cannot be penetrated than some other manufacturer produces gun or projectile that will pierce the plate. and so 1t goes on- One discov- cry or invention offsets another. Some thing of the same nature Is going on in the matter of warships. When one nation or country completes the most powerful vessel that the world ever saw another nation or country greater one. Can there be any vis- ible end to such competition and riv- airy among nations?
 Just now there is another matter of like nature claiming public notice. Of late there has been quite a good deal said and written about airships for war purposes. There Is even talk of trying to get through the next session of Congress an appropriation for the purpose of building and equipping a regular fleet of aerial monsters for future use. Much has been said in this and foreign countries as to the power and utility of such vessels. We have been told how one of them, with supply of bombs of highly explosive power. can hover above an enemy's army or city and drop bombs that will destroy cities and annihilate armies. Many of the details have been worked out on paper, and one would almost be tempted to think that the fullness of time is near at hand. We have al- most reached point where in our minds eye we can see Uncle Sam, for example. lowering like an eagle over some enemy, city or army which. like a crouching lamb, is powerless to pre- vent the great bird swooping down and destroying it.
 Some of these enthusiasts seem to forget that if one nation has an air fleet others. will try to have greater ones. and so they can offset each other and thus protect their towns and ar mics But that is not all in this con- nection, for the same thing that hap pens in the matter of impenetrable ar- nor plate and of building the biggest warships is announced regarding aerial destroyers. Her. turns up a German with the announcement that he has made or can make a gun and shell that will strike and wreck an alrship at a height of two thousand yards.
 If this claim Is true, and if the pro- iectile can be directed with anything approaching accuracy. 1t puts quite different face on the matter. Unless great Improvements in aviation are made no machine would care to risk going to a height of something more than a mile and one-eighth. even If 1t could do any damage at a greater altitude. and If they venture nearcE the earth they are likely to be struck and vessel and crew scattered over the surrounding territory. Thus it would seem that by the time the aerial navy is ready to begin operations there will be a means at hand to destroy 1t. The eagle will not be allowed to de- stroy the lamb for the lamb will be prepared for the encounter. It may turn out something like MacbethS metaphor:
 "A falcon towering in her pride of place
 Was by mousing owl hawked at and killed"
 only the hawking in this case will be done by a gun. To some people sportsmen, for example-it might b" great fun to see a fleet of arships. like flock of pigeons. being brought down by the guns of the heartless hunter below. but we hardly think 1t would be fun to the birds.