Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-02-23
FIGHTING IN THE SKIES.
Horrors of Next War Pictured BY
Hudson Maxim.

"Napoleon's dictum that God fights
on the side Of the strongest artillery
will no longer hold true. In the very
next war between civilized countries
the world will see that God fights on
the side that has the strongest flying
machines and the most of them"
This was part of a striking word
picture Of what the next war will be
like which Hudson Maxim, inventor
and scientist, painted for his hearers
the other night at the "aeronautic
evening" of the Automobile Club of
America in its clubrooms in New
York.
He predicted, among other things,
that every village after awhile will
have to have it's brigade Of batteries
of field guns for the destruction Of air.
ships, just as it now has its volunteer
fire department. War, he said, will
was in the days of hand to hand fight
ing.
In war the frontier Is the line of
battle" Mr.. Maxim said. "An invad-
ing army carries it's frontiers with 1t.
The flying machine will obliterate all
frontiers, and there will be no city or
village that may not be a possible
battlefield.
Future wars will not be decided
as heretofore, by artillery thunder
ing from hill to hill. Artillery, how
ever, will not by any means be done
away with. The field gun will still
eat up shrapnel, and the big navy
cannon will still shake the shores.
But everything will no longer depend
upon the conquering of positions with
artillery fire.
Although flying machines will not
be able to carry any artillery, yet an
army Of raiders with the raiders out
fit will be able to reconnoiter and
alight in defenseless places, destroy
bridges, rip up railroads, cut commu
nications, burn towns and blow up
magazines, stores and powder mills.
LAS in future wars these visitations
may come any night to any inland
town, no home will be safe. The flare
of the torch and the CLINT of the sword
may be the first visions Of an awak-
ening. Death and rapine may any
moment come laundering at the door.
mo longer will war be confined to
restricted areas whence women and
children may be removed to places of
safety. There will be no refuge
whittier they can fly from the Huns
no longer effectually bar the invader.
"The aeronaut can laugh at forts,
coast Notifications and battleships.
The flying machine opens human his
tory again to the page when there
were no forts along the frontiers and
no quick firing guns; when blood and
Drawn alone stood between home,
loved ones and the fierce barbarian;
when wolves of rapine, murder and
slavery howled beyond the wall; when
love and life were victory's reward
and death or worse, the forfeit for de-
feat.
I'VE must have our air fleets nu
merous enough and strong enough to
meet and repel any invasion of our
sky, and in time of war around our
entire national horizon aerial scouts
and aeroplane destroyers by night and
day must stand ready perched to fly
to the attack.
1T may come that every country
town must have it's battery Of field
guns supplied with shrapnel and cam
lister, as it now has it's fire brigade,
while possibly every ablebodied man,
invalid and cripple will be provided
with side arms and rifle, as in the old
pioneer days they were armed to meet
the menace of the red Indian devils.
"A bill calling for an appropriation
of 100000 for aeronautical work has
just failed to pass congress. The bill
ought to have been for $5,000,OO0,
and should have been passed by unan-
imous vote. Five million dollars Is
less than half the cost of the latest
battleship."
At the end of the meeting a memo-
rial was passed to be sent to the ap-
preparations committee Of congress
asking it to place the aeronautic bill