The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-06
LITTLE INTEREST
SHOWN N FLYING
Army of United States Ranks
Lowest in Aerial
Service.
SHOULD BE 0EVEL 0PE D
Lieutenant Foulouis Complains Of
This Country's Lack OF
Activity.
SHOULD BE VEL0PE D

New York, January 5.-Lieutenant
Benjamin D. Foulois. Of the Army Sig
nal Corps. who is. in the opinion OF
such authorities as Orville Wright and
Major Samuel Reber. OF the Signal
Corps. one OF the most capable officer
aviators in this or any other army.
and the senior military aviator Of
America. dep*res the lack OF public
interest in aviation in this country,
which, in his opinion. is responsible
for the fact that the United States
stands at the foot OF all the great
powers in the development Of military
aviation.
Lieutenant Foulos writes in the
January issue OF the Journal Of the
Military Service Institution, published
on Governors Island by the officers OF
the army. He suggests the remedy
and tells what KIND OF officers should
be entrusted with aeroplanes in the
American Army and Navy.
''The public spirit that prevails
abroad is the mighty factor In this
rapid YcNjment." he says, and IL Is
the lack of this spirit in the United
states that Is responsible for our being
so far behind. We can never expect
20 see any great amount of public In
terest displayed in the development of
aircraft IN this country until Il IS sat
isfactorily proved 10 the people Of the
United States that II Is good imam
cial Investment The fact that this
new science is particularly useful for
military purposes does not appeal TO
the great majority Of our compliment
rnoney-making people.
The army and the navy are at pres
ent the only branches OF the govern
rnent service actively engaged IN the
study OF aerial navigation. and are
fully competent 10 take charge OF t"iS
work By placing the military services
in charge OF this development, We VIII
not only Insure the SYSTEMATIC de-
yeiopment OF aircraft for military pur-
poses but We would at the same time
be developing types OF military INA
chimes that will lend themselves 10
many commercial user. as future i'4ii-
tary development OF aircraft prog
II win bring with II machines having
Great weight-carrying capacity, great
81 unconditional speet, machines capa-
bic OF fying in all kinds Of weather al
anv and all times. and with maximum
~ safsty and comfort TO their ere"
and passengers.
These qualifications are Identical TO
the reuuirmeents necessary In the ue-
veloument II aircraft for commerciai
purposes"
Lieutenant Foulo!s in another part
~ his nape- expressed the opinion that
a. The present skilled aviators oper-
ating properly designed and construct
cd machines. equipped with po~erIn4
motors. can fly In almost any wind that
blows. Lieutenant Foulols then goes
on to ouote Orviile wright. who he re-
fora 10 az being without DOUBT the
,,ost reliable and conservative author
NV in tho world" as having recently
e+a,ed that II is now possible 10 con-
struct aeropianes that would carr
twenty-five persons and which coui"
he driven at a speed OF zoe miles an
hour II necessary. Such a machine
Foulois adds. would cross the Onlteu
States with but two or three stops
As for the qualifications that appn-
cants for the aerial arm OF the TWO
services should possess, the hrst Is
sound heart, strong lungs STEADY
nerves. well-trained muscles and good
oversight When proved physically
qualified. Lieutenant Fouiois says That
the future aviator should be required
70 take I'D a systematic course II prac-
teal and theoretic study OF the f"i-
lowing subjects; Meteor0logy. mecnan-
les Internal combustion engines. tneo-
retiasI and practical radio-telegrapny
metal and wood working, military art
and map making and map reading