The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-08-01

The shipment of horses to Europe
| is source of real worry to all army
officials, particularly those of the quar-
| termaster department.. In an eleven
| month period shipments of horses in
creased from 1000 to- 249,00O. while
shipments of mules in the same period
| went up from 4,639 to 52.SI2.
| THE European supply of horses vir-
/ tually was wiped out during the first
months of the war" declared a high
4 staff officer, and if the war continues
| for another year the cream of Amer
lean saddle and draft horses will fol-
low their European brothers.
1t is not improbable that an en-
! barge on the shipment of mares fit
| for remount breeding purposes will be
| urged upon Congress at 0e coming
| session.
| The Signal Corps-the eyes of the
army-has derived less Immediate ben
| eft from the European war than any
OF the important branches. 1t has
| learned one lesson, however. of vital
Iimportance-that the field telephone,
| thought to have been rendered almost
| unnece ssary by the field radio. has
again become of almost paramount i'm
portance through the developments of
trench warfare.
Col. Squier Observer.
Lieut. Col George O. Squier. former
assistant chief signal officer of the
army. has been abroad as an observer
for the army. He has made careful
observations of the work of the trench
telephones and wires from points of
, observation TO masked guns. Col.
Squier has reported however. that
our field radio service is as efficient
as anything in use abroad The deadly
accuracy of field gun fire. however
because OF the ability Of aeronautiCai
observers to locate hostile batteries
has made necessary the lighting OF
guns individual units instead of
as batteries, and this fact has cur
tailed the usefulness of aeroplanes in
favor of field telephones. In addition
10 this. the use of complicated en-
irenChments of a temperament ma
ture, but pushed so close to the hos
tile entrenchment as TO preclude easy
surface communication between field
units. has called for further extern
sions of field telephone service.
To quote Gen. SCriven, chief signal
officer of the army:
1T now appears that the actual
game of war is played openly with
the cards on the table. and opportunity
no longer is given for inference as to
concealed movements or for surprise.
Not only Is the aeroplane invaluable
in locating the position of the enemy,
but il has especial value to a COM
mander in finding his own troops. IN
keeping him informed when move
ments are taking place. of the posi-
ton of his TANKS and-center. his out
posts. his cavalry, Of the positions
attained by any detached body-in
short. of keeping him constantly in
touch with the locations and move
ments of all of his troops under the
changing conditions of war.
This much is proved; but it does
not follow that the air craft curtails
the work OF reconnaissance Of other
arms of the service. the infantry. the
signal corps, and, more especially. the
cavalry. On the contrary it extends
the usefulness and power of all
NO move of concentration from
flank or center. no development of
a wing nor reinforcement of a weak
the adversary in the case where he
possessed an efficient flying corps"
To meet this great need. the United
States army has at present not more
than D aeroplanes. and the extension of
private manufacture in this country to
meet the demands of the war abroad has
not extended. to any appreciable extent.
to the manufa Cture Of aeroplaneS. Manu-
faCturers will not spend money for eX
permental purposes until they know
what the signal corps will purchase in
the event of their evolving satIsfac
tory engine. ana the signal corps with
ont a large lump appropriation for this
purpose" cannot bind Itself in advance.
To make matters worse. privately owned
aeroplanes would be OF comparatively |
little Use to the army in time of emer-
genCy because of their construction. Few
of them are constructed to carry even
one passenger and many are Of a type
which the signal corps has rejected a.
unnt for military purposes.
As is true IN other lines Of military |
equipment. the experience of aviators |
abroad has indicated the judgment of !
our military experts in the selection of
aeroplanes. The biplane has been found |
most satisfactory as has the pulling !
theory for the engine instead of the |
pushing propeller. Congress last year |
appropriated 81 100000 for experiments in |
aeroplanes and hydrO-aeroplanes for the |
navy. This appropriation has lent ire |
mendous impetus to aviation in the |
navy. 1t is probable that similar action |
will be urged upon Congress for the army |
this year.
The signal corps has as complete a list |
as possible of civilian aviators. furnished |
ny various aeronautical societies. and /
these men offer potential pilots for army
and navy aeroplanes in time of
emergency. but the lack of the proper
type of machines presents very grave
problem. While the signal corps has
been training enlisted men and officers
in aviation insofar as they have machines
TO train them with. the limit in number
set by Congress in creating an aviation
branch for the army has never been
reached.