The Washington herald., 1911-01-16
ALASKA MAY GET
AERO MAIL PILOTS
Army Plans Installation of
Heavy Machines.
OPERATED IN SAHARA DESERT
Frank Edward johnson, in Letter
Owned by Arab Chieftain-He
will Make = Special study Of
Cave-dwel Cling Natives.

Coincident with a letter received in
Washington telling of an aeroplane
owned and operated by an Arab chief
tain in the Sahara Desert, it was learned
here yesterday that the United States
army contemplates the installation, in
time, of aeroplanes for mail-carrying
purposes in Alaska.
That the latter is planned was learned
from an official source. 1t will be i'm
possible. however. to put the mail-carry-
ing aeroplanes into use in Alaska until
Congress makes an appropriation for
their purchase or increases the annual
amount of money set aside for the Signal
Corps. 1t is this branch of the army
that conducts all lines of communication
il Alaska. including the telegraph. the
wireless. the cable. and the carrying of
much OF the mail.
Race Called TrOElodytes.
The heavier-than-air machine in opera
ton in the Sahara Desert is an Antoin-
cite. 1t is owned and operated by Ma
hcmmed Es Seghir. who is cadi and
chief judge of the tribes living in Tata-
hcuisse and Medenine, Tunisia. which in
cludes race of troglodytes, who
live in caves in the mountains in North
ern Africa. The cadi, in a letter writ
ten to Frank Edward johnson, a water
color artist. who was almost killed by
fanatics in Tripoli last spring and who
recently lectured before the National
Geographic Society here on Tmsa, tells
of his new ship of the air in this Ian
guage:
when you come telegraph me from
Tunis. l send my carriage and horses
TO meet you at Gabes. You hear noise
in air: you look up, and l come meet You
in aeroplane. We walk (saiD home in
machine together
Mr.. Johnson will leave from New York
for the Sahara Desert about February /.
He will make a special study OF the cave
dwelling troglodytes and of some Roman
ruins which he discovered in that terri
tory. MIR. johnson has been commits
stoned by the Smithsonian Institution and
by Harvard University to make detailed
reports on the troglodytes, about whom
little is known by scientific bodies. Mr.
Johnson is now studying the system Of
anthrOpological measurements used by the
Smithsonian Institution. under the direc-
ton of DIR. Ales Hrd'licka. curator of
the division of physical anthropology of
the National Museum.
Will Take Photographs.
Mr. Johnson has also been commissioned
Gallery of Art. and the Boston Library.
as we'll as the Smithsonian Institution
and Harvard. TO take thousands of pho
tographs of the various tribes and types
of inhabitants of Northern Africa and
of the Roman ruins. which are in the
extreme southern part of Tunisia- He
has also been requested by Mr.. Wilbur
Carr director of the United States con-
sular service. to make reports at fire.
quent intervals on the outlook for Amer
lean trade in that region.
Mahommed Es Seghir, cadi du djebel
el-abiodh, as his proper title runs. be-
came the sworn friend of Mr.. johnson
when the latter refused to demand an
indemnity for The assault made upon
him last year. on account of the ex-
treme poverty among the natives. The
cadi has the power of life and death
among his people and has promised
safe conduct to Mir. Johnson in his Scien-
tific Investigations and photoGraphinS and
measurements of the natives. The cadi
was recently decorated by the French
government with the cross of a chevalier
OF the Legion of Honor. for his services
or the Tripoli-Tunisian boundary conf
mission.
Has Travelled Extensively.
Mr.. johnson is native of Norwich.
Conn, and is a man of independent
means. He has Travelled extensively all
his life and has an especial fondness
for the Barbary Coast. where he has
experienced many exciting adventures.
He lectured on Tunisia last Thursday be-
fore the Gallaudet College of Deaf and
Dumb MuteS in Washington. Mr.. Hall,
president of the college. translated Mr..
JOhnson's address into the sign language.
frav In hyr nj
light being thrown upon the hands of Mr..
Hall. making them plain to every MEM
Ser Of the college. Sir. Johnson is stay
ing at the Cosmos Club.