The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-26
REFORM WORK
 IN FRENCH NAVY Admiral Bene dc Lapeyers Is
 Very Active PROBLEM OF AVIATION Occupies the Attention of the French War rDepartment-PartlcuIarIy Re- voItlng Murder Is Reported
 Near Aviation Grounds.
PROBLEM OF AVIATION
By GEORGE DUFREsNE.

Not for 20 years has there been such activity in French shipyards, such hope In the breasts of naval reformers. The admiral is a real man of action, not 0 mere theorfser like his predecessors. He has urged the government success fully to build Dreadnoughts of larger and more powerful type than any now being laid own by England and Ger many, and work upon the first two units in the great new fleet of France will be commenced in the spring. The new minister is not content merely to play the role of arbitrator in the rival schooir of technichans by whom he Is surrounded; he himself always takes the lead and imposes his personal views.
 Though avoiding the congregations of those who attribute a high role of offence to the submarine, the admiral is, at the same time, convinced of its military value. Quite recently he has ordered a redistribution of the under water fleet, with a view to the more effective protection of the principal ports in time of war.
 In this connection M. Laubeuf, for mer chief designer in the navy, and a we'll known authority on underwater craft. contributes an important paper to La Vie Maritime" He insists that the submarine Is the real arm of the weaker nations, thereby ech oing the opinion of Goschon uttered in 1899.
 He takes a hypothetical case. In 1907 an English fleet bombarded Copen- hagen. destroyed the Danish fleet and pillaged and burnt the arsenal to pun fsh Denmark for her alliance with Napoleon Supposing 100 years later England wished to recommence oper- ations, what could Denmark do? If sh @ had, as today, only seven small war ships of 25C0 to 5000 tons, mastering 15 large pieces of cannon, a division of six or eight battleships out of the 50 possessed by England. would suf- flee to crush them. If, on the contrary Denmark had a dozen submarines and as many submersibles, with the latter she could bar the straits and torpedo the enemys ships. With the subma- rines she could attack the ships that had forced the passage of the ports and sink them in their turn.
 Now seven small warships have cost nearly s10,000,000; the two dozen un- derwater craft would cost altogether s4,o00,o00. Make the comparison and draw your deduction from the differ ence, says the writer.
 M. Laubeuf. therefore. declares that we are on the eve of a profound change in naval policy.
 The second class power will give up the costly attempt to build small bat tleships being unable to afford Dread noughts and limit themselves to the con struction of defensive flotillas composed of torpedo boats and submarines. He ventures to affirm that In a few years the second class states will have adopted this system.
 an arm of high morality since 1t allows the feeble to defend themselves against the powerful
 The war department Is just occupied with the problem of aviation. While Gen eral Brun, the minister Of war, is con- vinced of the utility of steerable bal looms he is equally certain that aero- planes will play their part in the war fare of the future. The minister, 1t would seem. Is inclined to attach more importance to aeroplanes than to air ships. The German airships do not fill him with envy. He realizes that they are not the last word in aerial warfare that they are valuable for four years only.
 Since 1t is not possible to replace aerial fleets, representing something like s2.- 000,000 every four years. General Brun concludes that the utmost caution is necessary. He has decided to reorgan- ize the aeronautic department of the army.
 There is to be a corps of aviators re- cruited from all branches of the service. A laboratory, a workshop, and a school for pilots will be established. The for mer will be installed in the south be- tween Marseilles and Nico, the workshop will be erected at Vincennes, and. ao- cording to present arrangements. the aerodome at Croix dfIim. near Bor- deaux. will be the homo for the school for pilots.
 By means of these three organizations the minister hopes to produce an aero plano destined to take part in warfare. Tho exact type of the war aeroplane has not yet been decided upon.
 The intention is to use the flying ma chimes for rapid transit and in the lines of communications. Meanwhile General Brun has given M. Henri Tarnan an or der for four big planes of the same type as those with which he and Paulham have been io successful Bleriot and the Autoinette company will each sup ply a monoplane to the war depart ment.
 A murder of a particularly revolting character has been committed at the Hunandisres. near Le Mans. the victim being an old woman who lived in a matched cottage not far from tho avia- tion ground used by Mir. Wilbur Wright. Mime. sidonie Davaz was n years of age. She sKed out a small existence on an allowance of 20 francs, which she re- ceived from the Assistance Publique. She lived alone and had no one to talk to except her pet rabbits
 she discovered that live of her rabbits were stolen. She reported her loss to her nearest neighbors and proceeded to Le Mans to receive her monthly pension of 20 francs.
 In tn evening the robbers returned to the fHatched cottage. Mere Burneau," as she was called. had not retired to rest. She heard the thieves trying to force her door. eeixing . hayfork she quietly turned the key kn the lock and opened the door. The robbers set upon her. One of them struck her on the head with . bludgeon several Nr,es. The old woman sank on her floor never to rise again.
 The thieves ransacked tho place. but the whole of thsir booty consisted of the two remaining rabbits and tho % francs. Yesterday morning as Mere tered tho cottage. They found her ly- ing in . pool of blood with her head in her hands.
 committee until after the holiday rscess,