Omaha daily bee., 1910-02-06

win have to be arranged about the time |
Johnny begins 70 lake aviation in high
school. One Of the least OF these Is the
regulation OF traffic. The Commission
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 Fauchile. a learned French
man, made a report to the Institute de
Droit international in 1902 in which he
discussed this matter at length.
Police tor tins Sky.
He called attention to the fact that our
eyes are poor affairs at best and abb
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
iplaning 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 aeroststs. A triangular
flag would indicate infectious or epidemic
diseases aboard.
He held that the list OF signal flags
ought to be chosen by an International
congress. It almost locks az II N. Fau-
chile, with his intention Of cutting up
national flags into different shapes and
providing for a signal code as well, IL
stretching the number OF geometrio forms
about as far as they can go.
Signals for AviatOrs.
At present there Isn't a sign Of an
aerial police force in any sky. Yet It must
come. Here is the crux Of aerial turis-
dIction. Is II going to be m up
ward or ia 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
: L,6s5 yards, but they are optimistio away
beyond their Workmanship records. A
hit at half the distance with a balloon or
l dir.SiSIs &c the target would be good
shooting.
) The three mile limit Is 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 land. 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
l fore that It will be held hat In airship
of whatever distance of the earth is by
reason of it's position within the 1uris-
dictlon Of the land authorities. Its num-
Der may be taken and it's owner hailed into
: court or his extradition asked.
Secret Service Uses.
q Europe is in a fever about aerial spies,
n and with some reason. For to a capable
SPY the air is about as much OF a godsend
n as the fourth dimension is to an eager
spook. A bird can see a lot more in a
e. given time than a man on the ground. Nice
a guaranteed military secrets, impervious &c
4 plodding enthusiasts for such things or
r the earth. would become common knowi'
q edge in no time to a~eroplaniBts or balloon
q lists armed with field glasses and tole'
!. photo cameras.
q There is a partial cure for the new dis
ease. 1t is In forming portions OF territory
q where secrets are stored away in forts
e and having a special treatment for avia'
d tors inclined to nose around in that vi
n cinity. II you are caught in an isolated
q zone you are a spy.
d No one in these lays thinks much about
Il the papers a ship carries. and doubtless
even many sea captains are hazy as Il
what all In the document line they SHOULD
Is have aboard. Papers are at the same tim
s. a means OF Identification and evidence o
n regularity. 1t stands to reason that 1
Or you go up in the air and come down amonl
ID the Philistines somewhere you need NOR
than your personal card as a means o
Of Identification.
u Interest of the Customs.
IN What you bring with you is equall
interesting. A diamond brought in you
A pocket might be handed to a good custome
before the invaded state could get a Gus
toms house set up and start it's machiner
going. A steamship is. pretty much ham
Is pered In its movements when 1t leave
S certain beaten tracks. But not so wit
40 balloon or aeroplane. The air has n
!, channels an aeronaut is bound to respec
=. He can land in Smiths back yard as easil
a. as in Jones cornfield.
w. Ten years hence the customs collector
y may be engaged in a new game, hat
~ finding out where alien ~aeronauts are 81
~ ing to land and getting there first. Ar
their governments will help them on
Russia has already taken a step towaT
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 lettea
49, of introduction and certificates OF cha
aoter.
~ Before very long rules will ave to
he made on most OF these subjects. ar
Is a good many more. They will. 1t seen
bv likely. be parcelled out to two confe
ences, one technical. the other diplocati
The counterpart OF this plan already exis
ian in respect to the sea. Its information
lie jurisdiction Is governed by the propositiC
he accepted by the Information Maritime co,
let ference on the one hand and the rules la
DTS down by international law onthe othe
ter other PuHEIes for Lawyers.
led The one conference on subjects affec
Ian ing the aerial domain will occupy itse
int with regulative service conditions, Il
other, while considering Jurisdiction al
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