The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1909-06-07
WAR BALLOONS
FOR THE COAST

Washington, June 5--1he creation
Of a big fleet of war balloons with de-
pots at strategic points along the
coasts Of the United States. in which
the aerial craft may be housed be-
tween flights is the task set 70. Major
G.. o Squier Of the signal corps Major
Spuicr was given instructions today
To- prepare plans for the defense of
the Atlantic Coast and he set to
work enthusiastically. The plans.
when completed and approved, VIII
serve az models for the aerial defenses
of the Pacific and Gulf Coasts.
The war department is convinced
in the light of achievement of the
Zeppelin balloon. that the era OF aerial
navigation has arrived. 10 hopes that
congress also will awake to reali-
Zation OF the fact and that appropria.
tions will be made sufficient 10 per.
init this government TO keep pace
with the European nations. IN anti.
cipation Of favorable action by con-
gress the signal corps has been in
structed to prepare the plans referred
to.
While Major Squier has not yet
gone into the technicalities of the mat
ter he has a general idea OF the man.
ner in which the plan will be worked
out. The coast will be separated into
ellipses approXimating $50 miles In
length, and at each end of these clip
ses will be built two or three balloon
houses and supply depots. The houses
. will be placed with view to close CO.
operation with the artillery depots or
zones. thus gaining protection and be
ing quickly reached whenever the
men behind the big guns discover the
necessity OF accommodating the enc
my's position by the use OF a balloon.
The big advantage gained In build
ing the balloon houses In groups lies
In the fact that when il Is found OK.
pcdient to concentrate two or three
airships at n given point there will be
accommodations for them. 4 dirlgl-
BILE Is safe while i'm the air and. even
IL its engine should become disabled
can be operated as free balloon. II
Is in landing or when at anchorage
or in an exposed position that II is in
danger from winds. and houses are
on absolute necessity.
II is intended that n coast dirigible
shall not pass off its own station, eX
cept in cases of extremity. and that
= the sailing distance shall be 1875 miles
south and 1876 miles north from
its depot In this manner tn,
entire coast from Maine to F'loridi
\ will he patrolled and in case OF wa,
=, II will be practically impossible fol
!, a hostile fleet to approach the Unit
eded States without being discovered
a long before the sentinels on lant
could see the vessels. Once discover
ed the fleets movements could b'
watched with safety and by the us,
of wireless its maneuvers be sent tn,
u length of the coast.
The plans will include an elaborat,
J. system of vertical searchlights. b,
which the airships will be guided
during night flights. These lights will
/, mark the various batteries and tn,
(. balloon depots and they also will b,
Il used in signaling the swiftly flyini
ships overhead. Most of the signal
ing. however, probably will be don,
II through the medium OF the wireless
N telegraph. Experiments have demon
strated that messages can be receiv
p. ed in balloon car with complet,
safety although there Is question
!. whether messages can he sent 10 cart
from the car without exploding tn.
1. free gas that surrounds the balloon
envelope
=. The dirigiblcs that congress will b,
asked to provide will be the equals O
the best war balloons now In use IL
Europe The envelopes WI b lcs,
than two hundred feet long-twice thu
e length of the United States Drigibl,
II No. |, recently purchased by the wa
n department from Captain Baldwin
!, Dirigibles No |. Major Squier explain
ed. is merely practice ship anC
" bears some resemblance 10 the finish
ed flyers that are contemplated IL
the coast defense plan.