The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1911-08-17
ARMY AND NAVY TESTS
TO WRECK AIR CRAFT
War Balloons as Targets For
Army Fire-New Gun to
Be Tried Out.

ships. Then squads on other ships
will fire at targets carried by a Diff
ferent vessel. Tests will also be made
of automatic guns by discharging
them at the targets.
And then comes the final and most
terrific attack ever yet made against
an aeroplane. Three inch guns that
fire fourteen inch projectiles will be
directed against the aerial invaders
from four ships commanded by Ad-
mlral Osterhaus, who will signal in
structions from the Connecticut. These
ships will be stationed 400 yards apart,
and from each Of them ten of these
guns will cut loose in order with a
broadside direct at the kite. This
means that forty guns will be dis
charged almost simultaneously at one
aeroplane, and, furthermore, every two
and one-half seconds another volley
can be fired.
An aeroplane is more easily seen and
therefore more quickly open to at
tack than an ordinary battleship. OBJ
jects at sea become visible according
to the distance they rise above the
horizon. In sighting a battleship the
first thing seen is the smoke. But
an aeroplane, being at much higher
elevation than that to which smoke
rises, will be easily discernible, even
when long way off, so there does not
seem to be much chance for the
aeroplane. That, however, is precisely
what the naval authorities wish to
determine.
One might object at this point and
claim that an aeroplane, being easily
handled by an expert, might change
it's position so often and rapidly as to
make it difficult to hit from the deck
Of rolling battleship. That is very
true, and that is likewise just what
Uncle Sam will try to approximate.
To do so the ship carrying the kite
during the attack will be under sealed
orders, which fix the speed at which
the ship is to proceed, varying from
the fastest possible speed to the most
snail-like crawl. More than that, the
orders will also tell at what heights
the kite is to be kept. And so, with
the ship making various speeds and
the kites position being constantly
changed-to say nothing Of the fashion
in which a kite naturally dips and
darts in a stiff ocean breeze-it will
be by no means child's play to aim and
successfully hit it.
In another direction, too, Uncle Sam
has seen that his ships shall be prop
erly equipped for the aerial invader.
Every ship will carry sixteen huge
telescopes with which to search the
heavens for the flying DEATH" The
ship itself will be divided into sixteen
parts, thus practically making q SINH
lar division of the heavens, and to
each division will be allotted a man
with one OF these telescopes. To him
will fall the task Of being responsible
for that portion Of the heavens taken
in by the instrument.
Cost Is Slight.
The cost of these naval experiments,
it is estimated, will be but little more
than $1,000. That modest sum repre-
the amount Of coal consumed would
be the same wherever the feet might
be. The principal reason why the cost
is so small is that the projectiles to
be fired are smaller than those used
in any other maneuvers. Even in the
case Of the torpedo destroyers the cost
is comparatively small, for instead Of
using powder the cap will be filed
with water, which will do no more
damage than to take the paint off the
side of the vessel it strikes, but which
nevertheless will be sufficient for test
purposes.
The Army Tests.
At the Sandy Hook proving ground
the tests, though of highly valuable
character, will nevertheless be on a
much smaller scale, with but about
100 men participating. They will be
held as soon as the special gun being
made for this particular work has
been completed. This gun consists of
a carriage and barrel so constructed
as to discharge projectiles at an al
most vertical position straight into the
air. It will also be provided with
special telescope sight. It can be
easily moved, attains high velocity and
reaches great heights. The result Of
these tests will determine whether or
not a practical gun has at last been
found for this special use, and if so
others will be constructed.
The tests will consist Of firing va
rious kinds Of projectiles at balloons
and may continue from two to four
weeks. They will be held under the
direction of General Crozier, in con-
nection with the ordnance board at
Sandy Hook. The results hoped for
will settle many important questions
regarding aeronautic warfare. The
variety and number Of projectiles it
is possible to fire, the best means OF
attack, the proper caliber and weight
Of gun and the right graduation Of
sight are among the things this test
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