The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-06-14

intervals. and once or twice they have
| extended their flights far inland. They
succeeded in locating several Mexican
camps and have made maps Of the
surrounding country. 1t can be read
lily understood how valuable these
maps will be in case mediation should
prove a failure, in which event a
march to Mexico City by our army
would be inevitable. This would be
by no means an easy task as in many
places there are narrow passes
through the mountains where our men
might be easily ambushed but for the
alI-Seeing eye of the aviator who could
locate the enemy and avoid such a
Cata strophe When maps are to be
made two aviators go up in the same
and the other doing the sletching or
working a camera. AS the machine
glides along without jar The man who
is doing the SketChing is not disturbed
by the bumps or Jolts which occur on
land. He merely looks down and uses
his pencil. He can turn back as many
times as he pleases, and go up or de-
scend at will. The aVlatOrs declare
it TO be the most satisfactory way of
sker ching Qualifications, etc. Several
of them are said to have made photo
graphs of the camps and the sur
rounding country. but these so far are
kept a secret by the commanding Off
GERS. who declare themselves highly
eratified over the results. Apart from
the serious uart of the aviatOrS work
their flights have aroused the greatest
curiosity on the part of the residents
Of Vera Cruz. who gather in the
streets each day to watch the oirdl1he
machines as they soar over the city.
Several of the European countries
have forbidden aViatOrs from other
countries to fly over their land with
out permission, fearing that plans Of
their Notifications would be made.
Happily Mexico had no such law or
another incident might have been ad-
ded to the Mexican mix-up It is well
known that President Wilson issued
an order last August forbidding any
one to fly over the Panama canal
Not Easily Hit by Bullets,
Flying at the rate of fifty miles an
hour it is Claimed by war theorists
that the chance of being brought down
~ the enemy's guns is slight. AS far
as known. the MeNCans have no
equipment which would come any
where near hitting a machine flying
At fifteen hundred feet above them.
Several long flights have been made
at Vera Cruz. such as the tests at
Guantanamo last year. These are to
try the effect Of smoke and the DIFF
fereut air currents Of that part of the
tropics-ir fact. almost every con
ceiva5Ie test has been made in trying
cut the machines, and they have
stood the test 1t VII be recalled that
in the Turkish Italian and Balkan
wars the aerial scouts did more to-
ward saving lives than in destroying
them. These aviators were so swift
in detecting the movements Of armies
that where they were employed the
element of surprise was removed, and
in the first case the Italians were en-
ab1ed to occupy TripoIitana with lit
tie opposition: in the second case,
Adrianople and other strongholds
were taken with only a fraction Of the
loss of life which would have been in
volved otherwise 1t is hoped that
the same results can be obtained in
Mexico.
Flying from 5attIeships.
Various devices have been invented
for the use Of aeroplanes on battle
ships, but the one regarded as most
perfect is that invented by Captain