Omaha daily bee., 1910-08-07
Two Lieutenants Conduct a Rather
Exciting Chase.
REPORT SHOWS EFFORT SUCCESS
Sham Combat in Midair Reveals the
Possibilities Of Planes.
SCANDAL IN MILITARY SERVICE
Many Young Men Escape Doing
Their Time I'm the Army and
Turmoil is Raised over
Fact
BY PAUL vILLIERs.

BY PAUL vILLIERS.
PARIS, Aug 6-(Special to The Bes.)-
The French army takes the flying machine
very seriously. Among the higher officers
OF the military establishment II Is firmly
believed that the aeroplane will play an
important, II not a decisive part in the
next war.
An Instance of how closely the art OF
aviation IL being studied from the view
point OF the soldier was furnished after
the recent meeting at Rheims, when what
was, perhaps, the first aerial battle was
fought
The idea Of the first aerial skirInish oc-
CURED to Lieutenant Colonel Estienne, di-
rector Of the military aviation establish
ment at Vincennes He knew that several
aviators who had taken part in the Beth
any meeting intended to fly back with their
machines to Mourmelon. Colonel Estienne
took the Opportunity to carry out an IN
| teresting aerial maneuver. He Telegram hed
to the military officers at Mourmelon to
| the effect that some aviators were to re-
| tGrn to their sheds. They were to suppose
that they had received orders to intercept
their passage.
story of Pursuit.
The telegram was addressed to Leuten-
ants Cleveland and 'Gronier, two expert
flyers. They at once drew up a scheme OF
attack The two officers on biplnne set
out at o'clock. One of them was armed
with light magazine rifle such as, will be
used hereafter by the aviation corps Dur
ing their excursion they came across a
blplane and q mon0pIane returning from
Mourmelon. The pilots of these machines
did not perceive item and knew nothing
of the military maneuver Of which they
wore the object. They were attacked ac-
cording to the orders received. The first
TO be perceived wac q monoplane flying
towards the southeast at height of 800
| feet. Lieutenant ClsvSnad, in his report,
states that, with our field glass we could
see that the epemy's monoplane was
mounted by a single pilot. We maneuvered
so that the pilot could not fire at us with
out riSking the ripping open of the canvas
of his right wing or smashing a blade of
his propeller. The officer then calmly fired
four or five shots at a range of 200 to 400
yards, which would infallibly have smashed
something IN the enemys monoplane OF
disabled the pilot.
Second Gets Away.
las soon as this was achieved the OBJ
serving officer perceived biplane to the
left also going southeast, but at a height
of more than 100 feet. He was going very
fast with the wind In his favor.
Not having sufficient time to rise above
him, we simply avoided letting him pass
over us at a vertical line and dropping q
shell on us. We then approached him I'M
der his right wing. We could see with our
glasses that there was only one pilot, and
his firing would not be dangerous. Our OBJ
serving officer fired a shot or two at him
but hampered by the upper wing We
missed the enemy. 1t was useless to try
to pursue him with our machine. We
therefore, steered for Bethany. where W,
knew that a fast monoplane was ready
We plunged down rapidly from a height OF
900 feet and found M: Labouchere with nj,
Antoinette mOnoplane just ready to start
We asked him to go in pursuit and W.
started again with him. The monoplans
was the first to rise to a great height and
to locate the enemy, whilst we could fly
lower. The Antoinette scared aroft rap
idly, but after short distance our ri
planes motor broke down and we had 4
land. The Antoinette monoplane however
overlook the enemy at Bouy."
This sham combat and exciting pursuit.
shows that the military aviatqrs are al
ready making excellent use Of the flynn
machines at their disposal
Against Military Service.
The official announcement that last yea
: as many as II, 25S young men omitted to pre-
I sent themselves for their legal term OF mill
( tary service has produced q painful i'm
S preston. The Matin, which has been II
: quest OF some explanation at the war OF
{ flee and in other well-lnformed quarters
? says that the increasing number OF desert
ers appears to be due to three causes. II
the first case, anti mllitarlsts would seen
y TO have made sad progress In certain dis
I tricts Then again part OF the mischief /
2 10 be traced to the amnestles repeatedly
v voted by Parliament in favor OF the me-
who have not fulfilled their military obi
cations. Not a single chamber has run IL
: course without having voted one OF thes
: amnesties, and the consequence Is tina
many young man prefers going abroad I
accomplishing his two years OF militar
service as he feels almost sure that hi
. exile will not last more than three or fou
n years.
|, Thirdly, account must be taken OF 9TH
4 Incredible facilities accorded By The differer
= French administrative authorities to tn
= ".nsoumis," who are away from their coun
j. try and who apply for a safe conduct tina
they may return home for their private al
fairs. Not only r. the existence OF sue
; safe conducts matter OF regret. but IN
facility with which they are granted
really extraordinary. These are the thrs
causes which appear to contribute for III
most part 20 the number OF deserters, an
the Matin adds that the war office and n
| government can at least suppress two {
r them by no longer granting amnesties
II safe conducts to men who are In revo
+ against the law of the nation and again
patriotic duty.