New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-10-12

Unity FOUR years ago General IN the Omtcd
States army watched a conversation between Tvs"
men who were deaf and dumb-and their system
Of signalling TO each other inspired him TO great con
,rbu,ion 10 military tactics. That was the beginning
Of the signal corps in the armies OF the world.
I'm 1867 during the Yorktown campaign 81 the Civil
Var Confederate officers determined 10 get view OF
al the Federal troops in the ncghborhood by sending
up a man in a captive balloon. Although the plan was
halted for a few DAYS by lack Of proper material Tor
constructing the balloon, II was carried out Whcn
Southern women approaching the value OF the idea
contributed their best and ovcicst silk gowns for the
b,g p,sbap And that was the beginning OF military
reconnaissance from the clouds.
Northern officers Immediately took it up, and before
the close Of the struggle among the States most nations
had become convinced Of the necessity OF employing
up in the air" methods for detecting the movements,
strength and intentions Of hostile forces. Conac-
uucntly American genius gave TO military science the
idea and the plan for long distance and air scouting and
created a arm IN time Of war
Today lust hfty-onc years since the silk skirts Of
women became weapons in battle, the United states
falls far behind all other great powers in military AVA
ton and is aggard in the science II created Since the
Wright brothers made their first trial flights IN an aero
plane at Fort Mycr near Washington, few years ago,
Europe and Japan have sprung into the forefront OF the
art Of campaigning III the air.
For aeronautics in military tactics France spent last
year s. 10000; Germany, Sj,OOOOOO; Great Britain,
SjOOOOOO; and Japan, triilc more than Sl,WOOOO.
For the same purpose the United States spent last year
exactly one hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars.
Today England has for the Of her army and navy
one hundred and cighy-six aeropancs and other air
craft-and this country thirty! So far IT has been
impossible for the American army 10 enough vol
untccrs from its ranks to man its acroplancS; but
France has six hundred officers such duty, with
waiting list Of more than six hundred
These are some of the reasons why the next session
Of Congress will be asked by the army to appropriate
five hundred thousand dollars for the purchase and
construction Of aeropancs while the navy will try to
get 4 similar amount for hydroplancs The army will
also ask for legislation creating an aviation division,
for which sixtvtwo officers will be needed. In the end
such an establishment if made reality, will cost the
country at least a million dollars year.
As this is written, the newspapers are crowded with
speculation as TO whether the United States will invade
Mexico now or at later date And the factions of
the troublc-ton Republic rise and fall one OF the most
spectacular stories about Mexico is the description of
how Mason the lone aviator Of all that country oper
acs his acropanc in the Sonora district sails at height
Of six thousand feet spies upon the enemy, and carries
back to his commanders the he gathers He has
contributed even to the debate on whether not the
acropanc can ever become direct weapon of ofcnSe
in battle; for when flying over Guaymas IIarbor he
dropped a powerful bomb that missed a warshp by not
more than thirty feet
This gives some point to the contention Of American
officers that acroplancs, in the Of trouble with
Mexico would be of ncStimable value. That country
Of great distances and its people fight i'll small and
scattered groups. These two facts make scout and
reconnaissance duty tremendous factor in any cam
paign that might be mapped out by the leaders of an
invading force. Aeropanes they say, would be the
eyes to disconccrt guerrilla warriors.
WHILE interest is conferred on the southern terri
w tory OF this continent, the future Of the Panama
Canal becomes a topic of absorbing interest This is
particularly true in view OF the testimony of Lieutenant