The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1910-12-10
SEC DICK INS)N
WANTS A|RSHPS
Says Army Needs Dil'igibles
and Aeroplanes.
CITESEUROPEAN EXAMPLES

CITESEUROPEANE EXAMPLES
Secretary Of War in Report Says That
Franco and Germany Have Made
Big Progress in Aerial Work While
United States Has Stood StiII-The
Army's Strength, Etc. .z%
Washington, Dec. 1O.-J. M. Dickin-
son, secretary of war, in his annual
report recommends that the govern
ment provide the army with both diri-
gible airships and with aeroplanes for
instruction purposes and for field
work. He says in part: sZ
Aerial navigation is attracting
worldwide attention. Marked progress
has been made in this art during the
past year. It's possible influence upon
the art of war is much discussed
among military authorities the world
over. Recently in Berlin and Paris
opportunity was afforded me to wit
ness aviation tests that were being
made there by the military and / was
impressed with the interest and activ-
ity displayed in the development of
this new art with special reference to
It's possibilities for use in the military
service. ~ .... :. e.
Information from abroad indicates
that at the present time Germany pos
sesses fourteen military dirigible air
ships and a number of aeroplanes and
France seven military dirigible air.
ships and thirty aeroplanes. ....s@
France Orders DrigibIes. /.
Late information received from
France indicates that the French gov
eminent has recently ordered eleven
new dirigibles of different dimensions
1.-THE following is an extract from
a report of an officer of the United
States army on the autumn maneuvers
of the French army from Sept Is to
Sept. 18, 1910: .G. -
But the most striking thing was
the aeroplane. The French have made
wonderful progress in this respect. I
saw Lieutenant Bellenger in his mono
plane rise right out of a wheat stubble
field. The biplanes and monoplanes
were everywhere. They Travelled with
great speed and must have seen every
thing except where the troops could
be concealed in the woods. An eff
cient saeroplane corps is certainly in
dispensable to an army &.
1.-THE United States, which was the
first nation officially to recognize the
aeroplane for military purposes and
which conducted at Fort Myer In 1908
the first public flight of a heavier than
air machine, has since that date made
no addition to it's aeronautical equip
ment, which at present consists of one
small practice dirigible balloon, one
Wright aeroplane and three small cap
tive balloons. 49,, .#fl 4
Must Keep Pace With. Others. 4.
ct is contended by some that dirig;.
ible balloons and airships will at best
prove to be Of doubtful utility in war
fare. The fact remains that all Eu-
ropean first class powers are devoting
a great deal of attention to the sub:
ject of military aeronautics and are
displaying marked activity in the de-:
Velopment and supply of both the
dirigible and the, aeroplane for war
purposes, while the United States is
practically at standstill in this mat
ter .,..:.%.H. al. -, ss, e. ,;
I'm my judgment the time has come
when it would be wise to make ap-
propriations adequate for providing
the signal, corps with T.. a reas onable
number of the better type OF machines
for instruction purposes and for field
work. ,.A,5, H., Il E gs.s4.
''The total excavation of the Pan
anna canal during the fiscal year
amounted to 31,858,122 cubic yards,
against .37,966,926 cubic yards exca,
waited during the preceding year. OF
the amount excayated during the last
year 1908, 4SO cubic yards were taken
out by steam shovels and .l1,954, 642
cubic yards by dredges, against %, &c.
955 cubic yards by steam shovels and
15,295,971 cubic yards. by dredges re-
spectively in the preceding fiscal year.
~ Strength of the Army. ..
AT the date of the last reports re-
ceived from the military departments
(Oct. 5,a1910) the actual strength of
the regular army was 4,310 officers