El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-06-13

7 ments have served to make manifest
I the vital Importance Of speed in this
hlnd Of warfare; for the more rapid
aircraft, other things being eo1iaI
mas the slower one at its mercy.
IL Is proposed to continue such
PIdcllce work with real bullets But
( Inasmuch as the latter cannot be fired
az the aerOplane, for fear of killing
me me men on board. kites or small bal
IONS are to be toWed behind the fly
ING machine to serve the purpose Of
Sets- IN this way an accurate reck-
~ OF hits (shown by punctures in
'i-e balloon or kite) can be obtained.
No Comparative Test Yet.
+aI S YET there has been no test in ac-
tLdL warfare OF the relative efficiency
OF the aeroplane and the dirigible ball
LII II mas been declared that the
IoIlner would be able TO cut capers an
luna lhe slow moving gas bag, and
destroy II much in the same way that
~ Or LIsn Kills a whale. But this
~ ~ NOT De so easy. The dirigible
IS aDle TO carry powerful uufckfire
guns OF sufficient range to destroy
very quickly any flying machines that
nllshl venture near enough to be dan
1t is a problem that can be worked
OUT only when the tests Of actual air
uShting are made. One ADVANTAGE OF
such ulLlsloIes as the war department
Is now buying abroad is that they can
carry large quantities Of explosives
ton or mOre-Which. drODDed uDon an
enemy's defensive works or upon any
structure which IL was desired to de-
stroy' would Wreak vast havoc. \
whole city might be set on fire bv
scattering from aloft incendiary bombs
the newest form of this kind OF in
fernal contrIyance being a long, hoI-
low cylinder Of metal with a sharp
pointed steel head. fired by a percus-
sion cap and loaded with nitro glycer-
inc or other violent explosive.
Bombs Long Used.
WnnHn M low
in warfare. They were first used in
China, where gunpOwder was known
more than 1000 years before the meth
Cd Of its manufacture came TO be I'M
derstood In Europe and were thrown
after the manner Of rockets. some Of
them being provided with iron barbs,
by which they chung to wooden build
lngs. setting them on fire. in com
paratlvely modern times 1t was be-
lleved by military experts that such
bombs would eventually take the place
or artillery, requiring no guns, but
merely light metal tubes for directing
them; but they have disappointed ex-
It seems likely that the dirigibIe, If
carrying lights, might be approached /
at night by ventureSOme aeroplanes
bent on destruction. But time and |
practical experience will furnish the ]
only satisfactory demonstration. It is
a fact worth mentioning incidentally /
that the newest dirigibles have huge
ruddeTS which themselves resemble I
biplane flying machines II the bal /
loon had an aeroplane for a tail. They
carry wireless apparatus. So likewise, !
however, does the military aeroplane. /
the new equipment for this purpose !
adopted by the United States army be- 4
Ing so compact as TO weigh only 20 /
pounds. It has a sending range Of so !,
miles.
To Establish StHtiOn In TexuE. {
Arrangements are now in progress Z
for establishing at Fort sam Houston. 4
near San Antonio. Texas. an aviation .
center for the army, where. on a gov
eminent reservation. there viii be
practice grounds for flyers. hangers I
for aerOplanes and for diriEibles also,
and machine shops for repairs From
thence squadrous Of flying machines
with the requisite personnel and
equipments. viii be sent 10 various
parts of the country. in time OF peace. ]
for assignment 70 various military di-
visions.
At the present time the battleship
lying off Veracruz. Is
fitted up as a floating aviation cen
Ter for the navy. HydrOplanes with |
special launching apparatus are used, !
and air scouts are making daily trips
inland and all over the neighboriug
country, TO keep watch on the doings
II the Mexicans-