New-York tribune., 1909-12-19
AIRSHIPS FOR ARMY
French Energies Largely De-
Uoted to 1eroplanes.


Vita importance for France. In regard
10 steersble balloons, France is greatly
inferior 70 Germany The report on the
French war budget submitted to the
Chamber Of Deputies by NJ. ClementeL
chairman Of the Committee on Military
Affairs. shows that France possesses
only three dirigibles, the old-fashioned.
worn out Vile de Paris. the Colonel
Rpnard and the Liberte. On the other
hand. Germany has twelve steerable bal
looms each Of two motors. and four Of
these are already al their sheds near the
frontier.
General Brtln, Minister Of War is by
10 means discouraged at this. because
;n his opinion the next year must be
purely an experimental one. General
BYun declares that no steerable balloon
exists to-day in France or in any other
country that meets the requirements Of
var" Moreover. this opinion is con-
f-Tned by the highest military suthori-
ties here. including General Bonnai.
author Of authoritative works on STRAIT
egy and tactics; General Hegron. for
r7erlv commander in chief. and NJ. Gle
ulentel. chairman OF the military com
mission Of the var budget. The board of
officers convened 10 report on the utility
Of steerable balloons came 10 the follow
ing conclusions: The dirigible war bal
loon. 20 be OF real service in a campaign.
must be ca apable OF rising 10 the height Of
5la metres and Of travelling ar that
sicirude Tor several hours al an average
speed Of fifty kilometres an hour, and
must have range Of AZ least two hun
drsd kilometres" These requirements
have been embodied in NJ ClementeTs
report
General Br1n states that the expert
renrs made with the Republique during
ths grand maneuvres. shortly before IT'S
tragic end, showed that the dirigible bal
loon vas of but slight practical value.
General Bruins reasons NAV be sum-
rnarized as follows. The steerable bal
loon offers such vUlners ble target
with lis immense exposed surface. that
Il could be surely destroyed by projec-
tiles from 15-millimetre guns at an alti-
t1de less than t-o thousand metres;
-hs- steera able balloons must now en-
counter new enemies in the shape Of
aeroplanes. which would attack the vast
balloon very nuch as = flotilla OF tor
pedo boats might attack battleship.
oUr rhe aerial battleship is defenceless
for lack Of armor. ..--..--.--
The French milirarv authorities al
most without exception, consider that
-as- steerable balloons could not live ten
minutes = opposed by the FIRE OF the so
ulilllmetre quick nring gun. which can
nov be discharged vertically. or II ex-
posed 10 the aeroplanes armed with the
new light miJrailleuses. Experiments
with aeroplanes armed with mitrail-
.euses have been made here. and an
aviator attained q height Of $40 metres
Tirh his aeroplane carrying q u1itrail-
ieuse and q supply OF ammunition Cen
era Brun places implicit confidence in
the aeroplane.
he technical report OF the French
engineer officers, extracts from which
s7= made public in the report Of N.
fl-menteL thus sets forth the require
r-ents for the ideal military aeroplane:
r must D. provided with TWO motors,
one OF which should suffice TO support
-l@ aeropiane in the air and in the
event Of 2 breakdown Of one motor
Tould make il possible 70 effect a safe
'snding- The military aeroplane should
also b. able 70 operate at a height Of
= east i've hundred metres ana must
ue able 70 mahEUvre against wind of
t.e velocity Of forty-five kilometres an
a9ur. The aeroplane should be capable
o. carrying two men. the pilot and A
military observer
General Brun has already ordered
several aerop' 'anes Of the Wright, Far
man. Foisin, Blkriot and Antoinette
models. 4 great military workshop and
trial grounds are 70 be established on
tle government property at Bragues. AZ
The mouth OF the River Var. between
Slice and A-tibes Construction Yards
aye - be built al Vincennes and at
Maispn Blanche, and school Of pilots is
@ Dc created at the Croix d'Hins aero
dronle. near Bordeaux. II is interesting
10 note that while Germany is going
ahead jpcre-sing her fleet Of steerable
balloons France, on the contrary. is con-
cenuating her energies on the develop
1ent Of the aeroplane. which the techni-
cal authorities here regard not merely as
means Of exploration. reconnaissance
and quick Communication between the
ings Of armies or forces detached for
special purposes, but also as an engine
of attack and defence OF inestimabIe
value c. I. B.