The Washington herald., 1909-05-30
Science of Aviation Developed
by American Pioneers in
New Field of Experimental
Exploitation-World Bows
Homage to Them.
By CAPT. CHARLES ]. Fox.

- 'O-NCAA fFNAN AAhAAAS u NAcl ' =
he would be an aeronaut. The
same intuitive genius which led
him more than d century ago to
master the art OF handling artillery.
then the most scientific branch Of
the science OF war. would compel
him to make a systematic study OF
all possible military applications OF
the new power Of aerial navigation.
The same ingenuity he displayed as
young captain in handling heavy
guns would no doubt be shown to
day in his manipulation Of dirigibIe
balloons and aeroplanes-
That God is on the side that has
the most aircraft would to-day be
his revised opinion on the chances
OF war. His cold-blooded logical
analysis of present conditions would
force him to the deduction that in
the next great war relative supe-
riority IN aeronauucs viii be in the
main avenue TO military supremacy.
Nations in Competition.
Conditions that Napoleon might have
regarded merely as a method OF crafty
ing his personal ambition.are to-day fully
appreciated by the soldiers OF the world
as p means Of national self-defense or
self-preserv3tion- Already the military
nations Of Europe have entered silently
into desperate competition for aerial su-
premacy. and their statesmen and strate-
gists know well that it would be na-
tional suicide 20 lag behind in the races
and depend for safety on a half-hearted
declaration Of the second International
Peace Conference AT The Hague forbid
ding The hurting OF explosives from air
craft
The inhibition Of the congress IS lin
tied 10 few years. and the declaration
was not signed by q single great power
Of Europe. However meritOriOus il may
be. 10 one in Europe seriously believes
that a peace conference can successfully
prohibit a method Of warfare more revO-
lgtiOnary than the invention OF gun pow
der. That it is not taken seriously IS
evidenced By the fact that in France,
Italy. and other nations OF Europe prac-
tice il hurting missiles from aircraft is
part OF the military instruction. and Italy
even boasts OF possessing a powerful
hand grenade 10 be used for this purpose.
New system of Warfare.
There is no analogy between prohibit
ing dum-dum and explosive bullets. OF
the use Of poison. or the violation Of the
rights Of neUtrals. and declaring that an
entirely new system Of warfare shall not
be adopted. Even granting that the
larger nations adhered TO an agreement.
and that when their national existence
was threatened they refrained from find
ing a pretext 70 violate Il. there is moth
Ing TO prevent the Chinese. japanese. the
hOrdes OF India. the Filipinos. or insur-
gents II any part Of the globe from seiZ-
Ing the advantages Of this method Of war
fare.
Until the days Of universal peace. II
they ever come. international conferences
viii undoubtedly be able 10 regulate the
details Of combats. but they viii never be
able TO dictate the system Of fighting 10
be used
Aerial navigation is to-day a military
problem. and the action OF peace con
ference cannot eliminate It. The Wright
brothers themselves. although not mill
tary men, knew that in giving the world
practical heavier-than-air flying ma
chimes they were presenting 4 serious
problem TO the soldiers OF the world and
their original idea vas TO sell their initial
and partial solution as a secret TO the
great military nations. They have vlr-
tuaIly expressed the opinion that from
a practical standpoint the aeroPlane IS
primarily an engine Of war
Army Tests Are First.
II was not mere chance that the first
public tests OF their machines took place
at an army post in America and at a
maneuver plain in France, and that the
first man 10 sacrifice his life in an at
tempt 20 master the art Of aeroplane
navigation was soldier
The Wrights have done their part OF
the work fully, even though their present
machine may bear the same relation TO
the aircraft OF the future as the old
wooden muzzle-Ioading cannon does 70
the electrically operated disappearing gun
in the modern fortress. Last September
crowds from Washington went 70 Fort
Myer 10 see II the aeroplane could fly
Next month far larger crowds will go 10
see how 1t flies Ten months ago the
flights at Fort Myer were q test. Next
month, although officially still a test.
they viii be really z demonstration OF
exhibition.
A Demonstrated Fnct.
Actual successful fight is now fact.
and the question Of the technical improve
ments that are certain 10 come sink into
insignificance in comparison with the prob
lem OF how TO adjust this new force TO
present social conditions. The very vast
ness OF this power makes its application
10 the science OF national defense OF OF
national self-preservation inevitable. How
this shall be done and what nation is to
be the champion in this new science are
undoubtedly the most important phase Of
the problem Of aerial navigation with
both diriEibles and aeroplanes-
It would be the irony OF fate II America.
the home OF the Wrights. were to remain
2 laggard in the race Just started and
in which We are already handicapped.
There are many indications that this
country is about 10 fail behind. While
America IS still demanding tests before
paving the Wright brothers S2500 for
their machine, France bought their rights
last October for 10000. and a French
company IS at work building fifty ma
chimes. Last April Italy bought the
rights for about $500. 600. Several French
and italian officers have already learned
how to operate the aerOpianes-
Homage Paid the Wrighfs.
While the Wrights. second to none OF
Americas greatest inventors. have re-
ceived enthusiastic homage from all Eu-
rope. from Emperor. King. and peasant.
while statues are being erected 10 them
IN France and Germany. and after hav-