Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1910-12-16
FRIDAY WILL BE
"MlLITARY DAY" AT
BIG AVIATION MEET
Continued from Page 0nel

to accompany the air kings on their
flights.
That the air-men may allow officers
to accompany them in the boub-throw
ing flights tomorrow is certainty, al
though the conditions may be found to
be such as to preclude the possibility
of this. The aviators have, in past
trials, made the throws themselves, and
should they take officers up with them
as passengers, new record in aeronau-
tics will be established at The Atlanta
Journals aviation meet
A NEW ERA IN HISTORY.
At the aviation trials at Sheepshead
Bay an officer was taken up with one
of the air-men in sharp-shooting trial,
and his success was so great that the
war department ordered him to go to
Boston, where he again made a remark
ably successful record at sharp-shooting
from an aeroplane.
No officer has ever thrown bombs from
an aeroplane. however. and should the
ayiators find that carrying passengers
is practical tomorrow the event will
mark new era in the military history
{ of the world.
General Mills and Colonel Van Ors-
dale will both be present atNthe meet
tomorrow, and the officers and their
families will also be rendered boxes as
the honored guests of the Curtiss Exhi-
bition company and The Atlanta Jour-
nal.
The enlisted men stationed at Fort
Mcpherson have been requested TO at
tend as the guests of the Curtiss Exhi-
bition company and The Atlanta jour
nal also, and their uniform viii be
their badge of admission.
Colonel Van orsdale expressed him
self as being delighted at the prospect
of witnessing the mountaineering con-
Iarly glad that the officers and men
under his command would have such q
rare opportunity to witness. the tests
Since Secretary OF War Dickinson
called the attention of congress to the
fact that the army and navy should
be fully instructed in the art of avia-
ton. and urged appropriation for the
purpose of equipment of the service
with aeropIanes. interest in. the aero
plane as q potent factor In warfare has
vastly increased.
EXPECT TO MAKE RECORDS
All the air-men, Ely, McCurdy, Ward
and Post, have done considerable WORK
in perfecting themselves In the art OF
bomb-throwing, and tomorrow should
see some remarkable records establish
ed, provided the weather conditions are
favorable. .tfA
Forts. war vessels and fortifications az
constructed today never contemplated at
tacks from above. The strongest ano
most formidable battle ship that sails the
seas today would be helpless against an
aeroplane IL the operator thereof were
skilled in bomb throwing
The decks of the present-day war shtr
are but thin plates of steel. covered with
a layer of wood. A few pounds OF high
explosive dropped from reasonable
height, would blow dreadnought into a
cooked hat. A bomb Of four or Ave
pounds weight dropped down the funnel
of our hest battle ship would make the
inside Of that vessel look like match
factory.
The main contention is that the air-men
cannot hit small objects below them II
flying high enough to keep out or danger.
It Is TO test this that the aviators Will
hold the bomb throwing contests tornor-
row, and United States army officers will
be the judges.
KEEN COMPETITION.
The competition among the air-men viii