The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-08-18

defects by exercising his athletic
prowess alone"
"1-hat is the extent OF the navy's
air squadron at present, and what are
YOU doing with IT."
we now have three machines-ail
hydroaeroplanes, which can either
rise from or alight upon ships deck
or the surface OF tho water These
machines can also skim over the sea.
touching tho surface We are going
TO add more and more OF these ma
chimes as the manufacturers turn out
improvements. I regard this type Of
aeropianc as OF the greatest value in
case 81 war.
Thus far we have been working
our three machines hard, for both ex-
perimental and instruction purposes.
We nre now devoting considerably
time TO the development OF COM
pact. portable wireless telegraph ap-
paratus to be used from the sky, also
to the perfection OF the hydroplanes
which keep our machines anoat when
they settle upon the water. In the
past year we have established an
aerodrome and practice field at Green
buy Point, opposite Annapolis. Md
Here We Will assemble some OF the
most up-to-date hydroaeroplaue- that
we can induce manufacturers to build
for Us. First We desire to encoura &c
American builders to do the very best
work possible. to meet our require
rnents Then we will thoroughly test
out their product with the Nee, in
service. and fully anticipate that
we will stin find some points in
which they can he greatly improved.
Future of Nays Sky Fleet.
what will he the navy's ultimate
equipment in these machincs?"
our ultimate aim is to equip all
OF tho large ships of the service-
the scouts. cruisers and battleships
, and several shore stations-with n.y.
droacroplanes. so that Instruction I'm
| the use OF these machines may be
continuous. To make effective their
use. We have got to uso them 1t
IL question OF constant practice. tho
same as gunnery."
VIII our warships have to be re-
modelled to accommodate this new
class OF auxiliary craft"
u am now cndeavorins to work
that problem out. and so arrange mat
tiers that no changes will be required
In ships designs. and that no great
amount OF supcrfluous paraphernalia
will have to be carried aboard 10 ac-
commodate our machines
The temporary platforms which
have been used on the decks of ships
/ fer the launching of our machines
/ may always he used as a last resort.
but they would doubtless prove to be
n considerable nuisance. ana soon wa
shall proha bly be able to substitute
a device upon which we are expert,
menting and for which we have high
| hopes of ultimate success The cranes
may require slight notifications ana
u neat little problem with which wa
are now at work is TO arrange sings
az such simple dimensions as may
be readily carried by the hydroaero-
planes and which VIII be suitable for
hooking to the tackle very quickly.
I'VE have just invited all Of the re-
sponsihle American manufacturers OF
aeroplanes to submit designs for ma
chimes especially adapted for hosting
on shipboard. from the water. intact.
and capable of easy and speedy dis
semblins as well as ready Replacement,
of parts
The TIydroplnnc's ADVANTAGES.
From the very outset. in this work
I have insisted upon the development
Of tho ELECTROMAGNETIC long. shallow.
nat-hottomed hoatlikc structure upon
which each of our machines floats
when resting on the water
1T was early apparent to mo that
our navy would be unable to have
enough officers detached from ships
for proper instruction in dying at
shore aerodromes. and that lessons
wonid have to he and could best he
given aboard ship. where all hands
could he kept familiar with the ma
chimes At first my insistencc on the
! hSdroaeroplan was rather severely
crlticizcd--notably abroad. where eN.
perimenters have even yet done but
little toward It's development. That
celebrated flyer known TO tho aviation
world as Andre Beaumont-who is
really an officer OF the French navy
named Conneau. who has been the
winner OF three big crosscountry
flights. and whose opinion on avia-