The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-03-05
ENGLISH ARMY TO
BUY AEROPLANES
Mar Department Greatly Inter
csted in Experiments Made
i'll America.
WASTE MONEY ON DIRIGIBLEs
Prince Of Wales Will Soon
Partly Emerge From
Obscurity.
By PHILLIP EVERETT.

Especial Gable to The Tinaee- Disps,eh.1
London, March 4.-The experiments
made in America with aeroplanes un-
der conditions of actual warfare along
the Mexican border have created a
strong impression here even among
the otficials of The War Department
and this is undoubtedly the reason
why it is now said that in a Very near
future a large number OF aeropla mes
will he bough, FOR the use Of English
hrIny officers.
The British War Department was
until quite recently almost assured OF
the uselessness OF the aeroplane for
military purposes and. like German
# almost entirely to :he diririblc air
ship hut now the authorities will de-
vote their attention TO the formation
OF a corps Of officers skilled in the use
Of the swfter acroplanes
have Just had a talk with Mr. Rog-
er Wallace. president Of the Royal
Aero Club. who confirmed the report I
had heard.
The recent discussion on the sub
iect.'' he said, has been very useful,
and ] know There Will be a distinct
change In the attitude Of the War OF
rice. The developments in that direc-
ton will be seen ver,. soon.
The people who have taken The
trouble to think the matter out realize
The necessity Of our having aerop!anea
in England if our safety is 10 bs
considered over a dozen AIRY officers
have already obtained pilots csrtif
yates from tile Roya! Aero Club, and
many others arc now lea rning to ny.
There is no longer any doubt about
INC increasing value Of aerorlanes In
war Mr.. Claude Hamil,on's flight from
Fl Paso across the basiesed Mexican
town amply proves this. and still. wha,
he Old might have been done six
months ago, and six months is 4 Ions
tine Now that improvements in
heavier than-a!r machines are coming
thick and fast.
But it is no, in what has been done.
but in what is goins TO be done by
the aeropane that the chief Interest
lies There will be great changes In
'he stability Of aeroplanes in q short
time and then il will be a compara-
Under all conditions
observations can already be taken
from an aeroplane with great exacti-
tude. and when an aeroplane Is at any
height II can scarcely be seen below
When silenccrs are fitted to the ex-
haust from the engines of aeroplanes
t!1ty will not only be almost invisible.
but their approach will not even he
heard.
The advance OF the aeroplane has
been conclusively proved by. the fac:
mat the other day Blcriot carried
eight people. That shows that quaint
tty OF explosives could be carried il
The necessity arose.
The money that is being spent on
dirigibiles at the present time. Is in
my opinion. waste Of money. Dirigi-
oles are too unwicldly and unma ma re,
able under all circumstances. The dit /.
ticult!es Of keeping dirigible up In a
wind are considerable. and then again.
so many men are wanted 20 hold Il,
down when It lands that 1t is impossi-
BILE 70 move"sufficIsnt men about.
'-Althoukh'inuch is being done in the
direction of perfecting the aeroplanc
our danger is that we have not got
suficient men trained in their use Tho
FoSai Aero Club has been doing wha,
it could In this direction by passine
Pilots from the army and navy. and
giving them cer,ihcates. but Official
action must come sooner or later.
Naturally enough a great deal Of in :
terest centres round the Prince Of
Wales this year. as ne will be allowed
10 emerge from obscurity to some .A
tent during the coronation ceremonies
and then. in july thc investiture Il
Carnarvon Castle takes place The
writer's of paragraphs in the so-calle.l
society papers have invented quite a
nice little batch OF anecdotes about
him. As matter Of fact the prince l.
very. very much Ike half hundred
other boys, and hay reached the awl-
Rard age. which makes him very much
object to what he has been heard i,
call these old nnto!-date displays
The prince will not have a sepcratc
establishments for some time vet, anG
the King is inclined to ordsm tina hs
shall live as other students do Willie
at Oxford The Queen, on Inc o,ho,
hand favors . private house outsd,
Naturally the Young prince hopes INA
MS father's Will Will prevail
An interesting dehutante this season