The sun., 1909-06-15
MONEY! ron Wan BALLOONS.

A comparison Of the amounts appro-
priated for military aArostaton In The
budgets Of four Of the principal Powers Of
Europe seems to indicate q strange divQ.
aty Of opinion - to the Importance os
the art. Judging from the figures alone,
Germany takes II about nine times ss
ssriousiy as France does and about eighty
times a. soriously as England.
Germany. combining Government pro-
vision and popular enthusiasm, has a
fund Of 81 ,se3, 400 for her army aerial ser.
vice. The popular fund In aid Of Zep.
pelin's experiments amounts 10 81 1876 900.
the Government has appropriated for the
purchase Of Zeppelin ships $5s7, 400. and
It maintains a regular aerostato corps
% branch OF the army at cost for this
year OF SiSi 600.
France has no popular fund. and tho
public interest In flying seems to attach
itself chiefly to the spectacular aeroplane
performances. The Government how.
ever. maintains q school OF aerostat
for instruction and experiment. and il
has Q fund Of $4,000 from tie budget
OF 1908 for this purpose There are, BE-
sides, appropriations available OF $4,000
for the purchase Of new flying apparatus
and $40. 400 for the operation and upkeep
OF existing army machines.
Even Austria spends moro money on It's
military aviation service than England
The allowance for this year is s1sooo for
tho maintenance Of the aerostadc CORPS
and SIS. 400 for the purchase Of dirigible
balloons. England has an appropriation
OF 5000 for the building Of dingiblsa
$3.50 for ssroplane e1periments and
about SIS 900 for general army aeroetado
work. This public expenditure Is likely
to be greatly increased In the new appro-
priaio for national defence. There 10
almost as much alarm in England over
German seronautcs a. there Is over Ger
man naval expansion. but in addition
there is great deal Of private experiment
in progress in various parts Of the country
and instruction In aviation Is being made
q feature in sundry schools. The United
Service College at Windsor. for instance,
has had q fine educational and expen-
mental aeronautical Laboratory pre-
ssnted to 1t by Mr.. Patrick Alexander. an
enthusiast who has himself formed ~
markable collection Of models Of flying
machines. Mr.. Alexander further sys
that several educational institutions have
applied to him to recommend men CON-
petent to teach the subject. -
The comparatively small appropriation
for aeroplane work is probably due to .
definite theory among army men that
the dirigible IL the best military posi-
bility OF the near future and it seems to Be
a mistake TO assume that from this point
OF Wow England Is hagrantiy behind the
times. Since the latter part Of May there
have been definite reports Of flights of
many miles made by an army dinpbss
steered by Captain A. D. Garden OF the
Royal Engineer Corps. The vessel aiss
at heights Of 800 to 100 feet, carrying ~
oral men. It seems to lack tho power Of
the Zeppelin ship--at least on one occasion
it had to be towed to its shed atFsrnbor-
oush, where there is a great balloon
factory. by sappers, because it was unable
to make headway against a strong wind;
but 1t is an unmistakable improvement
upon the Multi Secundus Of ssrio-oonio
memory, and it is proof that English VII
is busy on the problem OF defending Eng
lands aerial approaches.
As the case stands now elective navi-
cation Of the air is a mere matter OF me.
development, Of improvement
In detail All the main principles ais
fully understood. 1t would be strange
II England with her enormous mechanical
genius failed to produce in q short time
mechanisms as potent a. those OF any
other people to breast the Winds.