New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-11-19
FRENCH MILITARY AVIATION
Already Excellent Corps To Be
Further Improved.
Paris, November i.

already reached a stage Of development
far in advance OF other European couh-
tries, is about to be reorganiZed on
new and complete basis by a decree pre-
pared by the General Staff, and winch
will be signed In a few days by NJ. Mes
simy. Minister of War, who has implicit
faith in the new fourth arm" Of mod
ern warfare. The elimination trials TOT
military competition. which have peeh
going on at Rheims during the last
month, and the technical reports Of the
French officers attached to the Italian
division in Tripoli, have been taken INTO
account in the new French military
aviation regulations. The italian AVA
tors, by their fights in the desert, were
able 10 supply their chief In seasonable
time with accurate reports OF the con-
centrations and advances Of the Tnrco-
Arab forces. The Italian aeroplah's
made up for the deficiency in Tripoli or
cavalry for scouting end reconnaissance
purposes, and, in the opinion Of French
observer, saved the Italians from being
taken by surprise by the formidable at
tacks on their lines on October %.
The aeronautic corps has now its noi-
NAL constitution i'm the French army
and each commander Of the twenty army
corps will have at his disposal an avia-
ton section, just as he has special d.
visions OF cavalry, artillery and commits
sariat. Each army corps Is to have six
teen aeroplanes on the peace establish
ment and i'm time of war these sections
can be speedily doubled by means of re-
serve aviation stations and the mobli-
cation OF flying machines owned by
civilians.
1t is hoped that next year several nun
dred young officers VIII have received
their aviation brevets. The number OF
officers volunteering for the aviation SER
| vice is so great that the General Staff
! is able to make excellent selections for
this elite corps. Every officer in the
aviation service is to have $50 month
increased pay, and nom commissioned
officers half that sum. Moreover, each
year in the aviation service is to count
as time served in active campaign in
war, and this gives great advantages in
the way Of promotion and pay. AT pres
ent the military budget for 1911 provides
only s1,600,000 for aviation, but in the
estimates for 1912 this sum will be at
! least treblcd.
| Every military district is TO be pro-
co ho
young officers can be trained, no matter
where they are ouartered. The aviation
officers will take part not only In the
autumn maneuvres, but in all the exer-
| cises and movements of the garrison. In
this way all commanders Of troops and
detachments will have opportunities TO
make themselves familiar with the use
and possibilities Of the new arm. M.
| Messimy, Minister OF War, says that
before long he hopes to be able to place
special aeroplane sections at the disposal
of each divisional chief OF artillery for
the purpose Of verifying and controlling
| the effect Of the fire OF the batteries OF
his division during an engagement.
| The lessons of the aviation trials at
| Rheims show that both monoplanes and
biplanes will be required for military
purposes The General Staff finds that
the monoplane is better adapted to the
service of rapid transmission of orders
because IL has higher specialize airman
Newport recently attained los kilometres
an hour on his military monoplane-and
1t can also be started quicker than the
biplane. On the other hand. the biplane
effects a landing more easily than the
monoplane> and can carry much heavier
weight. This Is very important, because
the ideal military aeroplane should carry
three men, and A light mitrailleuse spe-
cialy made for the purpose. The three
men are the pilot, the observer and the
marksman with the mitrailleuse, which
is loaded with powerful explosives.
The French army aeroplanes are fitted
to wheel carriages something like the
carriages in use with horse artillery bat
teres, so that they may be brought
quickly to given points, not by flying,
but by horses or motor engines. The
claim OF the French General Staff, that
the French aviation corps is already far
In advance of that of any other Euro
pean army is admitted by all the foreign
, officers here who have given their at
tention to the subject.
c. I. B.