El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-01-25

MAJ The flying boat IS an entirely
w new and highly picturesque
| development in aviation. 1t seems to
| be specially adapted not only for mari
time warfare, but also for coast de-
fence purposes, and hence it comes
about that both the navy and army are
eagerly taking up this novel American
invention.
Already the army has got one, Of a
type designed and constructed by Glenn
H. Curtiss, at HammOndSport, n. Y.
The navy has acquired a similar one
and IS having another or dl1erent
model, built at Marblehead, Mass, by
the Burgess concern 1t is found that
these flying boats are Tar superior,
particularly for use in rough weather,
to "hydrOpIanes," which they are ex-
pected to supersede-
They are, as the name bestowed upon
them implies, veritable boats equipped
difficulty to rise from or land upon
reasonably smooth water, they are
decked over in such fashion that prac-
tically all of the machinery IS covered.
By this means they are rendered suffi-
GENTLY seaWorthy, and the resistance
they oppose to the air is reduced to a
minimum As fast as may be practic-
able, all of our large fighting ships are,
to be provided with them.
BatfIeships Are Being Equipped.
In the meantime as many as are OBJ
tainable viii be put aboard some of the
battleships and cruisers, for practice
purposes, in order that ohicerS and
men may become accustomed to han
ding them. Learning to fly under such
conditions viii be comparatively easy,
inaSmuch as those who are upset will
fail into the water, from, which they
can be promptly rescued The snip,
provided with flying boats, will serve
as a hangar" surrounded by an ideal
aerodrome-L E., the Ocean-for prac-
tice work.
All that was needed to make the fly
ing boat thoroughly practical for naval
employment was suitable apparatus for
launching 1t from the deck OF a ship
It had been proved that an aeToplane
could leave a ship by its own power,
running along a platform to gain the
requisite Roadway; but a platform long
enough for the purpose was an 1ncum-
brance Fortunately, the requirement
has been met by the invention of a
compressed air "catapult," which does
the work admirably. This catapult, OF
simple construction, is so compact an
affair that it can be set up on the top
of a turret, entirely out Of the way.
The device in question was invented
by Capt. W Irving Chambers, L. 3 NJ
who is in charge Of the naval aviation
ting the flying boat safely and quickly
away from the ship over the shortest
possible track
All OF our fighting ships have air
cOmpressors for use in connection with
torpedoes. When preparing the cata-
putt for use, air IS pumped 10 the
requisite pressure into tank on deck.
The tank Is connected with a cylinder,
in which works a pistOn-rod, the latter
attached by a wire rope to a small
wooden car. The car stands on little
track, and upon it rests the flying boat;
At the proper moment the car and
boat are violently driven from the
track and overheard The car drops
into the water, to be presently hauled
aboard by a rope and the boat flies
away.
What Is Expected of Them
Flying boats in naval warfare are
expected to be useful in the following
/. To reconnoiter an enemy's port, OF
assist in the operation Of a blockad'ng
Cor blockaded) force.
2. To assist in the operation OF sub
marines and torpedo boats.
s. To attack and destroy the rela-
lively slow-mOving dirigible balloons,
otherwise called airships.
4. To damage or destroy an enemy.,s
docks, magazines, and ships IN repair
or under construction
s. To provide means Of rapid con
hdential communication between fleet
commander and the commanding officer
commander Of another fleet or d.
vision.
6. To extend the "eyes OF the heet"
in naval scouting-fying boats being
carried for this purpose by all scout
ships and large cruisers
The First One.
The first flying boat built is the one
now owned by the navy, and which has
recently been under experimental test
at the winter naval station at San
Diego, Cal The Burgess boat, now in
process of construction, viii be used
for practice purposes at the summer
aviation station at Annapolis Nd.
One should understand that the flying
boat IS altogether unlike a hydro
aerOplane, or hydrOplane, as this kind
of flying machine is now called. The
latter is simply an aeroplane, carrying
one or more bOat-shaped floats beneath,
in order that it may be enabled to
rest upon water. Some hydrO-planes
have two such floats, arranged cata-
maran fashion; others have only one.
Where only one is used, there are