The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1913-07-26

junct to military opeidliono no
ready shown its value both IN 1ripoil
and in Turkey. Besides dropping
bombs upon Turks and Arabs it has
proved of greater usefulness In re-
connoitring the position OF the enemy
The Bulgarians have gone step 1ur-
theirs and have used the aeroplane Tor
fire control purposes. enabling the pat
tery commanders Of the field guns TO
train their weapons SO as to make
them tell most effectively against the
Sultan's forces. This matter or nre
control Is as vital to navy as TO all
army In action. especially when the
guns OF a fleet are searching out the
weak spots In the land defences. But
heretofore the aeroplane has been less
available for navy than for army use.
The catapult tested in Washington
is the invention Of Captain Chambers
of the navy. and Is the outcome OF va
rious lessons learned while trying to
adapt the aeroplane to the needs CT
the navy. The practicability OF SEND
ing aeroplanes in fight from suit
able platform on board ship was
early demonstrated. but there were
various minor problems to be solved.
The launching platforms employed
were both long and cumbersome. They
took up space that would not be avail
able in time of war. and they blocked
the fire OF some of the guns.
The long runway or sloping plat
form was therefore prohibitive. With
short track substituted which could
be easily and quickly put in place
and just speedily demounted and
stored out of the way. there arose the
question OF a means of starting the
aeroplane effectively. For this pur-
pose Captain Chambers devised the
catapult. For years he had spe-
cialized in torpedoes and was familiar
with the devices successfully tried
in getting those weapons overheard
from a boat The catapult tried at
last summer was sort OF
modified torpedo launching outfit Of
the earlier type. and compressed air
was employed to give the initial push
The trial mechanism was of necessi-
ty rather crude, but this fact did not
deter Lieutenant Ellyson from sub
jecting himself in hydroaeroplane
to the extreme shock Of the device in
order to find out the effects Of such
a conclusion. not only upon the air
pilot, but likewise upon the motor
and other fittings which
might be wrenched loose or deranged
That test was entirely satisfactory IN
its lessons. but the aviator and his
machine got a ducking.
The catapult lately tried at the
navy yard Is devised SO
that the hydroaeroplane attains Its
speed without violence, and
this insures the launching of the ma
chine without fear of deranging any
Of the apparatus or dislodging the
aviator from his seat. The runway
or starting track is short and can be
put in position in several places on
1 fighting ship without interfering
with the maneuvering OF the guns or
impeding any other operation of I'M
portance
or course the demonstration at
over the Potomac river |
Under fairly ideal weather conditions
8 not counterpart of what may con-
.ront the naval aviator at sea. but 80
ar as the actual getting away from
he ship is concerned that function
IAN be promised under any circum-
stances which on shore would warrant
IN aviator in trying to 60 up in the
lir. The other side Of the problem
8 that Of returning to the ship again,
Ind here success is likely. /
Glenn H. Curtiss has devised form
II float or boat for his hydros which is /
capable Of sustaining the flying ma
.hine when waves of considerable size