The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-06-30

large neet or macnlneS were uhdIb uabeu
together-it would be possible for an
enemy TO drop couple Of hundred tons
of explosive matter upon London, sud
denly appearing from across the chan
mel by air, and as quickly flying back
again.
Drop Dummy" Bombs.
The experiment of dropping stream
of dummy bombs at night on an en-"
campment of dragons has actually
been carried out in Germany. The ma
chimes plaued down silently, and the
bombs "fell all about the camphres
Then the engines were started before
the dragons had recovered from their
the dakness.
It is very evident that the nation
that Is best equipped In the matter OF
aeroplanes will have q tremendous IN"
itial advantage-probably g. winning
advantage-in war. Let us see Great
Britain IS position now as compared
with other nations.
Take France, the pioneer Of the new
era. After the historic Picardy maueu-
yers Of 1910, the development Of mill
tary aeroplaning was pushed forward;
Early in the present year France had
800 pilots and 234 machines. At the
end OF this year she will probably have
400 machines, as well as nearly 1000
privately owned machines, which could
be called upon. By the end of 1914 the
government hopes for 1000 machines,
and, add tho authors, in 1917 several
thousand are anticipated.
A. the end OF 1911 Germany had
about 100 war machines and nearly 100
airmcn. The book states that secrecy
is now shadowing German operations
sure sign of activity-but probably
there are more than 100 machines
Some estimates go as high as 300.
Russia Orders Machines.
Russia had forty machines in May
last year, and has just decided to order
$50 moro of the Nieuport type, of which
14o are to bo mnde in the country
That Is one way Of stimulating homo
production.
Tho United States, Austria, Italy
Spain and Japan are all quoted In the
book as actively developing their aero
plane service. We alone are tagging.
viscount Haldane told deputatior
of the parliamentary aerial defense
committee last yenr that It was edo
sirable to move cautiously The wal
office should not, iu his opinion, "com
nit itself to an idea which in the pres
ent rapid development Of aviation
might become obSOleCe III lew
months.D The authors point out thai
experience Is gained even if machines
become obsolete. and that even battle
ships become old fashioned.
Say England Lags.
The governments IS programme in re
card to naval and military airmanshiI
for 19l2-1913 came out when the great
er portion of this book was In th'
press. but comment is provided. A sun
of sl.540,000 is set aside, an increas,
of $SS5.000 on the previous year
France has voted Sd,600,000 and anothc
$500 900 has been subscribed. and Ger
many will spend $3,700,000 this year
Our scheme, say the authors, is to form
, several neroplane squadroDs, each com
; prising twelve aeroplanes. and to maj
this air fleet force of 364 pilots an
observers will be required. For scout
ing purposes the pilot drives, Will
> the observer takes notes on the couutr,
beneath. In addition, there will b
forty airmcn who will be trained spc
. officially in the duties OF naval hirman
b shin.
. The verdict of the authors is:
"The facilities actually provided
@ ns apart from paper schemes-are still
SO nieacer that il will only be possibl
g during this year to train very smal