Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-13
Reception to Grahame-White.


Reception to Grahame- White.
Aviators and aviatorphiles assembled
at the National Press Club last night to
welcome Claude Grahame-White.
Mr.. White was accompanied by Clifford
Harmon. the amateur aviator of New
York: Sidney Mcdonald of Manchester.
England and John Barry Ryan of New
York. commodore of the American Aero
nautical Reserve. There was a large
gathering, too, of newspaper men and
others interested in aviation. Gen. James
A. Allen, chief of the Signal Corps and
the man who primarily was responsible
for the Introduction of aeronautics into
the American army; Maj. George O..
Squier, author of The Present Status of
Military Aeronautics," a work that has
publications; Gen. Nelson A. Miles, re-
tired, who is an enthusiast on the sub
ject of the aerOplane in war, DR.. Wiley,
champion Of pure food and foe of benzO-
ate Of soda: Samuel Gompers, president
of the American Federation of Labor;
members of the Washington Aero Club,
including DIR. Albert +. Zahm. DR.. AL
lerton Cushman. John Barrett, director of
the Bureau CT American republics: A.
Leftwich Sinclair, Frank A. LIE Gorce
and many others. were present.
Possibilities in Warfare
The object was simply to give Mr..
White an Introduction to many of the
people who are interested in his work
and who will be officially thrown in con-
tact with 1t during his stay in Washing
ton. Mr.. White is almost boyish-look-
ing young Englishman, black-haired and
broad-shoudered, with rather a diftident
smile that does not indicate one of the
most daring aviators of the world. He
was called on for a talk, of course, and
told d little something of what he had
done. but more of what he hoped and ex-
pected of the aeroplane. He told of the
bOmb-dropping experiments that had
been carried on far claiming prece-
dence for England in having inaugurated
this competition.
He was enthusiastic over the POSSIBLE
ties of aeroplanes in warfare, both for
offensive work and for scouting. He said
that he had made number of night
flights over the English fleet in home
waters and found by experiment that he
could fly quite low at night for observa-
ton and still 1t was almost impossible to
pick him up with fiashlight, and still
more difficult to keep the light OH him
for any length of time
Regarding the future Of aviation, he
said he would refrain from making predic-
tons, the assembly certainly would
think he was Il crazy enthusiast. But he
said he fully expected that in twenty
air crossing the Atlantic and carrying a
host of passengers
Steel Aeroplane Coming.
He said that the day of canvas and
wooden frames was rapidly passing. and
that after the use of steel had been in
troduced people would wonder that men
had ever trusted their necks to flimsy
contrivances of wood and fabric. After
ward in private conversation he said that
the steel aeroplane was more than a
dream, AS there was one now being con-
structed in England. and that it probably
would be finished before he returned
Clifford Harmon told of some of his bal
looming experiences in the days before
aeroplanes came into prominence. He said
that he had been referred to by some of
his friends "balloOnatic." He said
also that the aeroplane was of great po-
tential use in war. and told something of
John Barry Ryan is the commodore. Mr.
Harmon said that the reserve now NUM-
berS $4,000 men, and that they have one
hundred thousand dollars worth OF ma
chimes on which they can call and In the
course OF the next year there will be five
hundred thousand or one million dollars
worth of machines available.
Gen Miles spoke briefly and said that
he too, was an enthusiast over the pos
sibi!ities of the aeroplane in war. and he
suggested that while the area affected by
dynamite explosion was small.
shrapnel bombs carrying small bullets
would do execution. He also thought that
would be effective against battleships
No Chance to Practice.
b. ,.:tA