The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-08-06
AMERICA ID LEAD
 IN AR FIGHTING Will Have a Big Fleet of
 Airships AIR MEN ARE SCARCE Wright Brothers Have the Advantage Over Others in Army Circles Though Several Machines
 Are Being Used
Fly RoDERIcK CLIFFORD

Within another year the United States will take the lead in aerial defense among the nations of the world. There is now in the military budegt for the next ap- propration bill an item for $125000 with which to purchase twenty or more heav- ier-than-air machines, and with the fleet this country will be in a more formidable position, so far as the air Is concerned thany an nation in the world.
 Every modern military expert now a grees that much of the fight of the future is to take place in the air. That
 s war will be carried on above tho earth. just as it is now carried on be- meath the seas. That is why the United States army wants more aeroplanes. and more men trained to operate them
 Not only will the aeroplanes be yalu- able for scout and observation work, but they will be used to drop projeetiles and explosives on hostile armies and ships of war The fact is. the uses to which aero planes. may be put are not fully calcu- lated yet. It may be that they will revo- lutionize modern warfare.
 However that may be, the army is pre- pairing to keep ahead of the times If possible in the employment of airships for both offensive and defensive purposes. Congress will be asked to cooperate. and there is every reason to believe that the lawmakers will vote all the money needed
 General James Allen, chief of the army signal corps is quoted saying that within a year the army will have a fleet of twenty alrshps, manned by forty Of ficers, giving tho United States a dls- tinct lead in aero strength. At the pres ent rate of progress this prediction will undoubtedly be borne out, for the avia- ton work of the army Is progressing by leaps and bounds.
 Since April four aeroplanes have been purchased by the signal corps-two Wrights, one Burgess Wright, and one Curtiss machine. Two of these are now al College Park. Md, the airshp school of the army; one is at San Antonio, Tex. supplanting the 1909 Wright model which has just been presented to the Nationsl Museum. and one Burgess Wright ma chine Is now on its way to College Park
 It IS scarcity of airmen, and not aeroplanes that is bothering the army just now.
 There is a sharp bidding among the various aeroplane manufacturers for the government pusiness. Each manufac- tu1er understands that It is a big rec cmendation for his factory to have inc government as patron. Therefore, all the companies are working hard to get the government contracts
 The Wright company has the advantage In army circles. These brothers were the first successful flyers of this tyne of machine. and their demonstration tests at Fort Myer two years ago have given them DOSitiDn that ic ~1 with.
 The Curtiss machine has a strong fol- lowing in the signal corps because of the brilliant exploits of Curtiss and his aviators In the past. and on account of the results they have gained in their ex- peflmehts with the hydro-aeroplane at
 Hammondsport, N. Y
 It has alpeady been agreed upon anonp aviators that the hydro-aeroplane is more useful in the navy than in the army. ] Prof. A. F. Zaham, the aviation expert O. this city, recently went to Hammonds- port to watch the work of the hydro aefoplane and was delighted with it. He insisted, along with other experts, how ever, that this type of machine will do better work on naval vessels than on land.
 The control system of the Rurgess Wright machines has gained many advo- c9tes for it, and the prediction is made that in the end the army will purchase more machines of this type than any other The work of Harry N. Atwood in his long flight from Boston to Washing ton, and his flights in this city, with the Burgess-Wright machine, have been high ly praised by the officers of the signal corps.
 II has developed, too, that the bidding for the government contracts is not con fired to the United States, but that the manufacturers in foreign countries are offering their products to this country, and are guaranteeing some remarkable results The Farman, concern of France has announced its intention of establish in6 manufacturing plant in the United States, and it will select a site some- where on the Atlantic coast
 Singular as it may seem, the signal corps has not shown the slightest in- terest in the monoplane There is no standard monoplane manufacturer in the United States. and, besides this type of machine is regarded as far less safe than biplane.
 The only real advantage which the mon oplane has is that it devolps more speed in most cases than the biplane. It Is more dangerous of operation and has, there fore. been left out of the calculations of the army.
 Inasmuch there has been no real war since the flying machine has been made a perfect product, the actual use of it in war has not been demonstrated Yet the military experts are convinced that this weapon will be an important element in the fighting of the future The machines are capable of great altitude and speed. and that fact makes them a difficult target.