Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1913-11-21
SECRETARY OF THE NAVY DAN
IELS DISCUSSES NEWLY DEVEL-
OPED ART. AND IT'S PART in FL
TURE WARS.
%POTENT|ALITIES GREAT
AVIATION WILL NOT ONLY TEND
TO LIMIT SCOPE OF HOSTILE OP-
CREATIONS, But WILL ALSO AID
IN CONTROL OF SEAS. HE SAYS.
BIZ Associated Prpss.l

$1,000 tit - 4
will not only tend TO limit the duration
and scope OF hostile operations, but also
aid in the control of the seas. one Of the
elements contributing materially 10 the
power and prosperity Of a nation
Secretary Daniels made tn statement
here last night in the course Of a public
address upon aeronautics in which he
discussed the conquest of the air by the
United States army and navy and the
part aerial navigation will take in fu-
ture wars.
The potentialitics Of the ~acroplanc,
when applied to the art of war, are. eX-
tremely great and its proptr use will
undoubtedly be Il dominating factor in
the success of future campaigns said
he. 1.-The principal roles of the aero
plane in naval warfare will be for scout
ing and reconnaissance work and for Of
fcnsive destructive operations against
hostile fleets and Notifications. Rash
indeed, will be the commander If an OPP
posing fleet who would head his vessels
against the fleet or coast of an enemy
possessing a number of these vicious
waspS of war. and unfortunate indeed
would be Il commander who did not have
ready at his call this means of obtain
ing supremacy in the air.
1.-The United States army has II ma
chimes with a total personnel Of Il off
GERS. Seven more machines are in sight.
There is at present no definite organiza-
ton and no plan Of cooperation between
the army and navy. The latter possesses
only four hydroplancs and three flying
boats. though it is proposed to buy three
more. 4 fr
"A The war %aeroplanc and war airShip
are today recognized and proven engines
Of war bv the leading nations Of the
earth. IN practice, our rccogniti \ j.
little more than theoretical. Scouting
and information in land operations is
being given over to the acroplanc and
the lighter dirigible. and scouting. in
formation and mining in sen operations
iS being given over to the hNdroplanc and
larger dirigiblcS: while the large and
armed rigid ~dirigiblc. capable Of car
r,ing several tons of explosive and max
ing long sustained flights is designed
both for scouting and for making often
Sive attacks on ShipS, arScnals, docks
etc. An army or fleet Of the present
day operating in war without an efficient
air service against one with such ScrN-
ice, il has been APPLY said, would be like
a blind man fighting another Of equal
pcw"r with all his faculties.
1T is true that the United States oc
cupieS a position differing materially
from European nations bordering on each
other or separated by narrow waters cas-
ilv patrolled bv air craft. And. there
fare, we have not been forced by the
pressure Of an Immediate danger to
meet the progress Of possible enemies.
This is. no doubt, the reason w have
Jagged behind other nations il develop |
ing and utilizing orr own gift to the
world. Our scrupulous efforts t. avoid
all entangling alliances, makes. it less
probable that we will be involved in the
wars Of the future. if there he any ncv
crthclcSs. we may not forget that with
the Panama Canal AZ well as our coast
Notifications to he protected not only
from attack bv land and water. but ais
from the air. steps must he taken 10
train II SttIIltlcHl anu 'i''i'''t h"'"i -
scrvicpablc to cope with the best air
fleets Of the world. If a time Of crisis
or sudden national peril were to come
upon us now. the service Of the aviation
reserve would he hey nd estimate. ! am
one Of those who believe in this future.
and with suitable assistance from Con
ercss will strive to bring acrOnautIcS IN
my service abreast of the important 20
sition if holds i'm the various navics Of
the world.
THE United States produced the first
%acroplane and the first hlro-acroplanc
and European nations eagerly graspe'
at the chance to utilize them III their
ARMIES and navies..
f"France has led in the development
and use of heavier han air machines
and has n larger aerial war fleet than
anv other nation. She is said to have
now GOO aeroplancs. 900 aviators. l. DIR
iciblc balloons and 100 balloon. pilots
One authority saws she will spend next
wear 1900. 900 on military flying. An
other authority states that the military
grant in 1912 was about $1,000 600: while
. national subscription of about S?Wn
600 was raised in addition. which has
already supplied y aeroplanes with y!
more TO come ere this year is ended.
.France has. fer the most part. relied
mon her aeroplane service for scouting
.::oo ond tho command of the air hy