El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-04-18

England Experiments With
German Aeroplane, but
Fears to Buy.
WATERPLANE TO BE
IMPORTANT FACTOR
By HERBERT TEMPLE.

ONDcN, Eng, April 13.-It IS typ
ical of the attention on which the
European powers are giving to
the question Of aerial supremacy that
the British army council has this week
been conducting a series Of tests Of
an entirely German aerOplane. 1t mat
tiers little where the machine comes
so long as there is no tagging behind
IN the race for the conquest Of the
air.
Is German Built.
The machine in question was built
at the Albatross aerOplane works at
Johannisthai, near Berlin, and is
fitted with Toe horsepower engine
also of German manufacture Herr
wiener director OF the manufacturing
company, Herr Heinkel, constructor,
and Herr Thielen, a German aviator,
who manipulated the machine, all
came specially FOR the tests.
1t is, of course, impossible to get
any definite statement of the results.
but expert watchers are agreed that
the flights gave full satisfaction It
has even been stated that the mill
tary authorities contemplate placing
large order with the German firm
and we have had the inevitable storm
otto"
Fears to Give Order.
Tt is hardly likely that the govern
ment will risk wholesale condemna-
ton by placing any considerable or
Ger with the German firm unless Of
course, the AlbatrOss has some extra
ordinary advantage not to be found in
any British made machine.
This development has called renewed
attention to the patent Waterplane
with folding wings invented by Horace
Short OF the firm Of Short Bros. 1t
IS pointed out, with full satisfaction,
that this wonderful plane is likely to
revolutionize the future utility of the
VVaterplane. The admiralty have put
their cleVerest designers to work to
prepare a plane for the building Of
battleship which viii serve as its own
air station and in anticipation of the
probability of such vessel being re
CURED IN the near future, the naval
experts are putting the Short water
plane to the most exhaustive tests.
Those through which the machine has
already gone have been sufficient to
warrant the optimism Of the invent
Ors. 1t has been shown that the wings
when folded are only ten feet across
as against the full area of the IL feet
in the rigid plane. 1t viii be found
possible TO carry Just as many Of these
machines on board a battleship as the
developments and science Of naval
warfare may prove desirable
The contrIVance is so simple and ef-
fectiTe that the wings can be folded
o. unfOlded in less than a minute,
while the. waterplane is floating on
the surface Of the water by the side
u the SNIP 10 WHICH IL Is aLLaEAlEQ anu
can be hoisted on board or launched
with the greatest ease.
1t viii also be possible now to carry
waterplane slung in davits ready
for launching just as ships boats are
carried now. Should the experiments
now going on be the success sntici-
pated it is more than likely that a
waterplane will soon be an indispensa-
bic part Of the equipment Of every
batleship.
Colonies Follow Lead.
The colonies, too, are following the
lead Of the mother country and avia-
tiOn is making rapid strides in South
Africa. Tor some time the wen known
British aviator, Mr.. Patterson. has
been in Cape Colony training a small
number Of men in the art of aviation
and five Of his pupils are on their
way to England to complete their
training When they return to South
Africa a government flying corps will
be established. But caution seems to
be the watchword of the Colonial au-
thOrities. They are content to move
slowly and to have advantage OF de-
velopments as they come along
To further emphasize the impor-