New-York tribune., 1909-06-03
FLEET OF DIRIGIBLES
PLANNED FOR ATLANTIC
COAST DEFENCE.
Signal Corps Hopes TO Interest Con-
gress IN Proje ject-GeneraI 4l!en
to Formulate Plans.
From The Tribune Bureau. ]

Washington. June 2-The Atlantic Coast from
Maine TO Florida will soon be protected from
foreign invasion by a squadron of dirigible bal
looms if Congress can be brought to see the
necessity and value of such defences, This was
learned at the War Department to-day, where it
was found that General James Allen, chief Of
the signal corps. has been ordered to formula e
the plans for such defences. and that Major
George O. Squier had begun the preliminary
drawings 1t has been decided that besiee, ,Tthe
protection furnished to the coast by the coast
artillery. with its numerous defensive agents,
the war balloon is necessary for purposes Of OBJ
servation
1t is the belief of General Allen that recent
tests have demonstrated, even to the most con-
servatfve member of Congress. that the balloon
and the aeropIane are to play great part in the
armament of every progressive nation and the
War Department has determined that unless
the United States begins it's development along
these lines it is in danger of falling far behind
the other powers. Thus far little actual work
on the preliminary plans has been done. but the
subject has been discussed at great length by
the department aeronautic experts, and a tenta-
tive agreement has been reached to the lines
along which the work will be taken up. These
tentative plans contemplate eIIipses of 30 miles
each along the coast at the ends Of which two
or three balloon houses will be built These
houses will be placed out Of the range of at
tacking guns. and viii be constructed with due
regard to the zones Of action established by the
coast artillery. 1t is the intention of the signal
corps TO work entirely in harmony with the
coast artillery corps and to this end numerous
conferences have been held between the heads
Of these two defensive branches.
At each Of the stations situated at the end
of ellipse dlrigible balloon will be placed.
There Will he three balloon houses near each
station in case a concentration might be neces-
sary. These houses are also advisable because
1t is axiom in the signal corps that there is
little danger to balloon while II is in the air.
The danger arises when landing Is made or
when the dirigible is at anchor. This comes
from the wind. SO that it is necessary to house
the balloon with all possible security. 1t is
contemplated that the balloons will be much
larger than those now in use by the signal
corps. and that they viii be capable OF perform
ing the onerous duties to he imposed on them in
their defence work besides being able 10 make
longer flights.
The experts who have studied the situation on
the coast and who are familiar with the work
being done by the signal corps are unanimous
in their apprpvalof the idea. but there Is a
strong suspicion that Congress will not look on
II with such great favor The disposition to
economize at the expense OF the signal corps
was manifested the last Congress; the
argument that aerorautics still in
perimental stage and that expenditures might
bc wasted being the excuse for seriously curtail-
ing the appropriation. General Allen is con-
vinccd however. that a few more wonderful
fights such aa have been recently accomplished
in Germany Will result in "a rapid change of
opinion IN Congress