Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-06

Aerienne Mixte, whose say Is said to be
final in French aviation matters, has al
ready issued some driving rules.
Then there must be signals for aerial
traffic. Paul Fauchille, a learned French
man, made a report to the Institute de
Droit I%nternational in 1902 in which he
discussed this matter at length.
Police tor the sky.
He called attention to the fact that our
eyes are poor affairs at best and alb
solutely refuse to distinguish colors be-
yohd about a mile and a half, whereas
they do perfectly good service in respect
to shapes. SO he based his flag system
on shapes and thought II we'll for each
nation to choose its form before aero
planning got to be a habit. He also has
an idea that military aerostats, or those
engaged in public service, should be dif-
ferentiated from private machines by
placing their flags at distinct points on
the vehicle.
National flags he wanted to be in pen
nant form, doubtless so that they might
fly against the open air and thus be seen
at a greater distance. An oval flag he
would have displayed when a balloon
wished to land in places not ordinarily
open to foreign aerostats. A triangular
flag would indicate infectious or epidemic
diseases aboard.
He held tina the list OF signal flags
ought to be chosen by an international
congress. 1t almost locks az II N. Eau
chile, with his intention of cutting up
national flags into different shapes and
providing for a signal code as well, In
stretching the number of geometrio forms
about as far as they can 80.
Signals for AviatOrs.
At present there isn't a sign Of an
aerial police force in any sky. Yet 1t must
come. Here Is the crux Of aerial juris-
diction. Is Il going to be unlimited up
ward or is there going to be a high" air
as there Is a high" scar
1t is easier to place a limit, and having
a free hand the lawmakers will doubtless
establish one, based upon the relative
carriage OF a cannon shot Upward. Which
is another way of saying that the air is
yours just as far as you can enforce your
will. The French set this limit at about
Less yards, but they are optimistio away
beyond their Workmanship records. A
hit at half the distance with a balloon or
dlrigible as the target would be good
shooting.
The three mile limit IL thoroughly estab-
lished for the sea, and 1t is universally
admitted that whatever occurs within that
distance from the shore comes within the
competency Of the courts on and. But
coast defence guns carry ten miles or more
in these days. Hundreds of miles of coasts
have no guns on them at all. Yet the three
mile limit holds good. 1t is likely there
fore that 1t will be held that al airship
Of whatever distance Of the earth is by
reason of its position within the 1urts-
diction Of the land authorities. Its num-
Der may be taken and its owner hailed into
court or his extradition asked.
Secret Service Uses.
Europe is in a fever about aerial spies
and with some reason. For to a capable
spy the air is about as much Of a godsend
as the fourth dimension is to an eager
spook. A bird can see a lot more in q
4 given time than a man on the ground. Nice
guaranteed military secrets, i~mpervious e
plodding enthusiasts for such things or
the earth. would become common knowl'
edge in no time to a~eroplanists or balloon.
lists armed. with field glasses and tole'
photo cameras.
There is a partial cure for the new dis
ease. 1t is in forming portions of territory
where secrets are stored away In forti
and having a special treatment for avia'
tors inclined to nose around in that vi
cinity. If you are caught in an isolated
zone you are a spy,
No one in these days thinks much abou
the papers a ship carries. and DOUBTLESS
even many sea captains are hazy as u
what all In the document line they shoulC
!, have aboard. Papers are at the same tim
a means OF Identification and evidence o
/ regularity. 1t stands to reason that /
r you go up in the air and come down amoni
I the Philistines somewhere you need NOR
than your personal card as a means o
Identification.
Interest of the Customs.
d What you bring with you is equal
interesting. A diamond brought in you
. pocket might be handed to a good custome
. before the invaded state could get a Gus
toms house set up and start its machiner
Z going. A steamship is. pretty much han
pered in it's movements when 1t leave
. certain beaten tracks. But not so wit
y balloon or aeroplane. The air has n
!" channels an aeronaut is bound to respec
He can land in Smiths back yard as eastl
! as In Jones cornfield.
Ten years hence the customs collector
may be engaged in a new game, that {
finding out where alien aeronauts are 81
= ing to land and getting there first. An
. their governments will help them on
> Russia has already taken a step towar
this end by providing for the registry
airgoing craft. France has decided
impose a duty on foreign aeronauts wit
a habit of landing on French soil. and tn
is only partly a military measure. Al
ships OF all kinds will have to carry lette
Of introduction and certificates OF cha
acter.
n Before very long rules will have to
made on most OF these subjects. al
a good many more. They will, it seen
likely, be parcelled out to two confe
ences, one technical, the other diplocati
The counterpart of this plan already exis
In respect to the sea. Its information
Ie jurisdiction is governed by the propositiC
,e accepted by the Information Maritime CO..
CT ference on the one hand and the rules Ia
Is down by international law onthe othe
Dr. other PUSHES for Lawyers.
ID M one conference ON subjects affec
IN ing the aerial domain will occupy itse
At with regulative service conditions. Il
n other, while considering Jurisdiction al
$. deciding on what constitutes the "higl
at air. will devote itself chiefly to relation
in war.
: The technical conference. which is pro
ably what the meeting already called
France will turn out 10 ba. will simn