New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-05
with More than Five Hundred
"Avions," It Is Going For
ward Remarkably Fast.
MANY PUPILS IN SCHOOLS
All Branches of the Service Rep
resented, and Special Ad-
vantages Enjoyed by
the Aviators.

ten for "Rlackwood's Magazine" by T. r.
Farman. father of Henry and Muriel
Farman. who were among the pioneer
sviators of Europe. appeals with con-
Siderable force, and forms a means Of
comparing the progress of the science in
France with the forward strides made in
the United States.
Throughout the article Mr. Farman
refers 10 aeroplanes as avions. and of
these. ii may be assumed, the French
army possesses over five hundred
which. MI. Farman tells us. are dis
tibuted among the twenty or more mill
iary aviation centres created in various
parts of the country. and more espe-
clally around Paris and N the East and
North OF France Each of these centres
naturally possesses a depot Of gasolene
and oil and a workshop for the repair OF
stions.
officers and men composing the
French aviation corps are recruited from
ali the other branches of the service.
and continue TO wear the uniform Of the
respective regiments from which they
we're drawn and 10 which they may re-
turn. But while serving in the aviation
corps they wear a distinctive badge and
enjoy special advantages. For instance
they are paid on the same scale as off,
GERS and men engaged in active service
In the field In the case of a fatal acci-
dent the widow receives the same PEN
sion as the widow OF a man killed in
battle, and the time spent in the avia-
ton corps counts for promotion the
same as time spent in campaig ning.
Many Gain Certificates.
At the end of 1912 about two hundred
ayiators. who, with a few exceptions, be-
long TO the active army. had gained the
superior military aviation certificate.
The others are either professional avi-
stors or men belonging TO the reserves, or
the territorial forces At the end of NO
vember the French Aero Club had issued
Lis aviation pilots certificates In that
total are comprised a considerable num-
Der OF certificates gained by civilian Tor
egners and foreign officers and non-com-
missioned officers sent by their respective
governments to France to learn to pilot
the avlons purchased by them from
French aeroplane constructors.
Tie number Of French military men ca
pable of steering an aeroplane Is never
tieless already fairly large, and fresh
patches OF military pupils are constantly
being sent 10 the various aviation schools.
In the middle OF November ninety-nine
volunteers 10 serve in the aviation corps
were selected OF the new recruits over
% per cent were non-commissioned omcers
or privates. the others being captains
Heutenants and sub-lieutenants. The
choice made by the permanent inspector
indicates a consciousness that the place
Of the officer on a scouting or exploring
avlon. except in the case OF mono
seated aeroplane. is not In the pilots
seat. but in that OF the military Cd
server.
Dwelltng on the comparative safety or
mechanical fight. Mr.. Farman points OUT
that no serious accident occurred either
during the army maneuvres. or during
the concentration of the aerial forces TOT
the sham fighting, or during the return OF
the avions TO their respective military
ration centres. without taking into
account the long aerial voyages made 10
reach and return from the region select-
Cd for the mannuvres, the military au-
thorities calculate. from the, quantity OF
fuel consumed, that during the nine Gays
sham fighting the sixty avions Taxing
part covered at least H.Vo kilometres
III 80 miles). Forty-nine OF those aero
planes were employed in active service On
the f,eld, and eleven were held In reserve
.Of the former" says Mr.. Farmah'
'thirty-eight suffered no sort OF damage
five were completely wrecked Without
their pilots and passengers being serious
ly injured, and the six others were 80
slightly damaged that they were repaiieu
on the spot with q delay varying between
one and three days. IL 10 most ehooui
aging TO be able to state that, notwith-
standing the immense augmentation III
the length and duration OF the hshls III
1917. the increase in the number OF aero
plane accidents IN France entaihng seH-
Gus injury or death TO pilots and passeh-
gers is proportionately much smaller
than in 1911.
Number Of Pilots Doubled.
The statistics OF the hrst SIX months
Of 1912 show the number OF military ava
ton pilots had increased to 2o-that is 10
say. to more than double those exis.ihs
at the end of 1911. The go aviators had
between January ! and June So Isi-' ac-
cording TO Colonel Hirschauer caicuia-
tions covered in the air the extraordlharE
distance OF $4,000 kilometres tfoS'os'
mueo The number OF fatal accloehts
was the same as during the Iast siA
months Of 1911. but the distance nowh Was
more than double"
In regard TO the use OF the aeropiane
as an instrument Of offence. as by poIilD
droppIng Mr. Farmap says that sinCe
the award Of the first year micne.itn
aero-target prize TO Mr.. scott last Aususn
numerous inventors have sought 10 soIsc
the problem of accurate aim IN poInV
cropping The result OF their enorts WI.
be seen during the competitions for tne
for granted II will be yet more sausiaco
tory than that obtained in 1912. when the
successful competitor for the f2.0oO prize
dropped twelve out Of fifteen protectiies,
each weighing Kilograms 100 grams
about 1917 pounds) on circular larger
having a diameter of 20 metres ls5 feet
inches) from an altitude OF 2co metres
1855 fect' The 81 600 prize for the drop
ping Of bombs from the height OF 800
metres C262S feet) was not awarded.
This competition was CONSIDERED so I'M
portant that IL was controlled by the
French military authorities, who provided
the projectiles, traced the target on the
military maneuvring field at Camp de
,ChsIons. and constructed the necessary
shelter for the Aero Club and military
Controllers. They nave Undertaken 10 90
the same in 1913
cepMAN EtEID MARSAAl DIES