Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-05-10
ARMY'S AvIATORS EAGER
FOR MEXICAN SERVICE
But There Is Scarcity Both of
Skilled Aviators and Serv-
iceable Machines.

/ sitting around tine beach at Calves
tom waiting for sonnet hing to happen in
the line of land hostiIitics with Mex co.
AHoat off Vera cruz there are two navy
/ flying boats and four aviators equally
/ impatient for something to turn UP. al
though they at least mad the amusement
| of doing little scouting over the coast
and keeping the American authorities in
| formed as to the disposition of the Mex
/ lean forces.
! This is the situation so far as the avia-
ton activities are concerned The navy
| aviators nave been from twenty to
twenty-five miles inland and have proved
! that they would he priceless auxiliary
| in case OF active operations. On Tues
day of the past week Lieut., Baliinger,
| flying one of the navy boats. passed
over Vera Cruz at a height of about
| loo feet. On the inland outskirts OF
the town he struck an air hole and his
machine fell about 1oa feet. but 1t did
not lose it's balance and he managed
to strengthen out safe distance from
the ground.
Took to the Woods.
Over a score of Mexicans We're con-
cealed in one Of the houses apparently
engaged in some sort of a conspiracy or
conclave They jumped from the win
dows and ran into the woods to hide,
seeming to think that the aeroplane was
coming after them. Baliinser returned
to the fleet without accident There was
no apparent reason for the sudden flight
of the Mexicans. as the acroplane had
been flying over the city at frequent in
tervals and the natives are thoroughly
familiar with the sight. No official re-
port of the incident has been received
Nan lt-fyf nj
The Signal Corps of the army is pre-
pared to send its small force of quail
fed aviators to the front any tune
there is official demand for them 1t Is
feared by the authorities however,
that if the land aeroplanes are forced
to operate over the coast country, It
will mean breaking up number of
machines. The country along the gulf
coast is very bad to operate over from
AN aviator's standpoint. because it is
rough and badly cut up with jungle,
and there are few places where a ma
chine could land and get. out again.
Few Skilled Aviators.
The army has hardly half a dozen
qualified military aviators who could
be drafted into active service. There
also is a scarcity of aeroplanes either
in possession of the government or
that could be bought in a hurry if
need arose. There has been a good
deal of published talk about MIR. Lam
bert of st. Louis Offering to the United
States the volunteer services of the
"aeronautic reserves" There We're
supposed to be forty expert aviators
available in this organization, and it
was said that over loo could be secured
if there We're need. The army officers
in touch with the situation say there
probably are not fifteen avlators ia
the whole country who have ever done
! any cross country flying. or who would
| be capable of acting aerial Chauf-
fers in case of need. 1t is pointed
out by the War Department authorities
| that military observation requires a
particular technical knowledge thai
4 army officers are years in securing. An
| aeroplane observation requires months
| of additional training even for army
/ officers SO that civilian aviators. ever
| if good men and machines were avail
able, would be of very little use to the
| army.
| 1t is thus felt by the Signal Corps
| authorities that the United States is
| in bad position for military aviation
work in case it is called on.