The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-10-29
BIZ HON. GEORGE Won L.. MEYER,
secresur. of the United states Navy,
In Aircraft.

In Aircraft.
The only use of the acroplane scri-
ously contemplated as yet by the navy
is as an aid in scouting. in roconois
sance and in communicating between
ships or between ships and a cooper
atine force on shore.
The French fleet OH IT'S way TO Egypt.
seriously lncumbcrcd by the army that
was transported. could not have cs-
had he been supplied with efficient
aoroplancs and trained airncn. BY tho
use of acroplanes, Cervcras presence
ut Santiago could have been discovered
Ia time to have materially simplihcu
our operations and communication be-
tween Shaftcr and Sampson would havo
been greatly facilitated. The Japanese
base at the Elliott Islands would have
been discovered and constantly watched
If the Russians had been provided with
aeroplanes. and II the Japanese hau
been provided with them. communica
ton between Japan and their advanced
base would have been greatly faclli-
tatcd.
1t Is also probable that many of the
blockade mines plunted by both Rus
SLAMS and Japanese off Port Arthur
could have been located by aeroplanes
In time to have saved some OF the
ships that were destroyed by these
mines. In the Pacific last year n Cur
tiss aviator readily located one of our
submerged submarines, and the French
have recently had Il similar experience.
II bomb dropping from an acroplane
Is ever practiced by tho navy. It VIII.
probably be done to locate or destroy
an enemy's submarine mines or his sub
marines.
More Suitable for Army.
The average aeroplanc of to-day.
however. is more suitable for army
uses than for naval purposes, and the
great number of aviutors that have
been sacrificed in the pioneer work. so
fa., bears grim testimony to the fact
that there Is need for conservatism
in the development of aircraft for
naval work, as the navy can Ill af-
ford to lose It's trained personnel in
this way. Large money prizes to cover
risks are not available to naval air
men. but this fact Will not deter them
from risking their lives in anything
that gives fair promise for improve
ncnt in our weapons We are there
fore constrained to mako haste slow
~" In adapting this new and popular
science to our uses.
The aeroplanc that VIC want is ono
board ship and quickly assembled for
use II should be capable of being
sent in flight from the deck OF n ship
without requiring the uso Of any
clumsy devices that would hamper the
use of tho guns or that would require
being thrown overheard when the ship
is cleared for action. Above all II
should be reliable Until a satisfac-
tory device for automatic control is
developed and probably even after that
it should be capable of carrying an
additional operator or Observer, and
IN any case IT should be provided with
a wireless telegraph OUTFIT for commu-
nicating with tho ships OF the fleet
while at an altitude of 5000 feet or
more, and while out OF sight at n
distance of thirty miles or moro. II
should also be provided with means
FOR tho safety of its crew when
obliged to alight on the water and It
should be capable of being hoisted on
board like ships boat
Aims of Department.
Although 1t was demonstrated last
year on board the Birmingham and
the PENNSYLVANIA, for tho purpose OF
encouraging the art, that under GER
tain circumstances an aeroplanc could
be made to leave ship and return to
IL in flight. II has been our chief aim
SO far to develop "a machine that will
be as nearly independent of ships
deck and of the land as possible, par
ticularly on rising into the air, not
only for possible service in war. but
for the more frequent demands OF
training al all time, for. OF course
it's development must be accompanied
by the training of the personnel TO its
use. care and repair.
The hydro-acroplanc, or Triad"