New-York tribune., 1910-07-13
AEROPIANE IN WARFARE
Curtiss EnIiVenS Closing Day of
Aviation Meet.
RETIRED GENERALS PRAISE
Convinced by Demonstration
That Airships Will Be a Factor
in Future Fighting.
BY TeIegraph TO The Tribune.

Atlantic City. July 12.-With oranges
! serving as bombs and yachts as war
vessels" Glenn H Curtiss gave a vivid
demonstration of what could be accom-
plished by the use of the aeroplane in war
time, just before sunset tonight. the eX-
hibition being the closing event in Atlantic
! City's aviation meet.
Brigadier General William Allen Jones,
L. S. A (retired) was an interested spec
tator of Curtiss's feat, but did not officially
represent the government He will, how
ever. incorporate his Impressions of the bi-
plane as factor in future warfare in an
exhaustive report, which may be used by
the federal government. Immediately after
the completion of the war flight General |
Jones said:
7 have believed for some months that the
warfare of the future would depend largely
upon the perfecting Of the air machines
While there is still much to be accomplished
before the aeroDlane will be effective In all
kinds of weather, I am convinced of one
thing right now. The airship must be
big factor both offensivey and defensively
in all future fighting between nations.
The trials by Mr. Curtiss this after
noon convinced me that battleship off the
coast would have been completely at the
mercy or eltnSF ESfOORliiS OF N~uIlISS IlcN
they been armed with explosive bombs
As means of coast defence IT seems to me
that the aeroplane must be taken inn
measurably superior to the seagoing torpedo
boat or the submarine With a fleet os
these aircraft It seems that any of our big
coast cities may be reasonably secure
against attacks by battleships."
It had been Curtiss's intention 10 drop
the bombs directly upon the decks of tile
yachts, but fearing that he might strike
one of the passengers carried by the boa:s.
he abandoned that part OF the programme
and contented himself with dropping the
fruit all around the yachts. AS It was, ne
came so close to one of the pleasure craft
that water was splashed over the white
dresses of the women on board.
Curtiss moved at a sixty-Inile clip while
dropping his Shots but seemed TO have
perfect control of his missiles. On one oc-
caston he dropped one Of the oranges on a
photographer and completely ruined the
Iatter's clothes That the man was not in
tured seemed providential as some OF the
bombs dropped on the beach proper were
reduced to pulp, and the impact Of one
which dropped near a city hfeboat com
pleteIy flattened it.
Brookins. who is still receiving Congratu-
latio1s on the occasion Of his twenty-second
birthday. yesterday. concluded his flight
here with d thrilling demonstration Of
spiral flying. dipping and banking finally
skimming along the breaker line, covering
himself with spray his machine touched
the water Curtiss made an exhibition
flight before his target practice" but did
not attempt his promised feat of descending
To the water and arising from II, the waves
being too high for safety
At the conclusion OF the day : programme
ali the aviators made preparations to leave
the city. CurtIss goes to New York, and
later to his home. in Hammondsport. n. Y,
carrying with him the Aero Clubs check
for 5000 the prize for the t1fty-mile flight
made Yesterday. Brookins is also richer by
s.. 900. as a result Of his record breaking
altitude flight Of saturday He goes 70
Toronto. ana Frank Cofyn started for De-
trnit where he vii be Joined rter by
Broolsns Curtiss has no contracts at pres
ent and viii probably not fly for several
weeks
The break between Curtiss and Hamilton
is stil unexplained Yesterday a telegram
for the latter was presented to Curuss. but